Trichophyton Mentagrophytes Perforates Hair of Adult Corpses in the Gaseous Period

• NCJ Number: 232589
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 55 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2010 Pages: 1359-1361
• Author(s): Renato Evando M. Filho, M.S.; Jose Julio C. Sidrim, Ph.D.; Rossano de A. Cordeiro, Ph.D.; Erica P. Caetano, B.Sc.; Marcos Fabio G. Rocha, Ph.D.; Raimunda Samia N. Brilhante, Ph.D.
• Date Published: September 2010
• Length: 3 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); Fundacao Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico Process (FUNCAP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated the in vitro perforation test using Trichophyton mentagrophytes on hair from adult corpses in the postmortem period (gaseous period).

Abstract

Despite the substantial literature on mycology, there are still limited reports of the interaction between fungi and human hosts in the postmortem period. Thus, the main goal of this study was to investigate the in vitro perforation test using Trichophyton mentagrophytes on hair from adult corpses in the postmortem period (gaseous period). The protocol was carried out with positive (prepubescent children's hair) and negative controls (healthy adult hair) as well. One strain of Trichophyton rubrum was also used as a negative perforation control. Perforations were found in all the hair samples from corpses and prepubescent children after 12-14 days exposure to T. mentagrophytes and were absent in the hair samples of healthy adults. Furthermore, hair perforation was not observed with T. rubrum. Our preliminary findings suggest the use of T. mentagrophytes as a potential marker of the death interval in forensic science. (Published Abstract)