title: Skin and soft tissue artifacts due to postmortem damage caused by rodents.
abstract: Five cases of postmortem bite-injuries inflicted by rodents are presented (five males between 41 and 89 years; three cases caused by mice, one case by rats, one case of possible mixed rodent activity by rats and mice). The study presents a spectrum of phenomenological aspects of postmortem artifacts due to rodent activity to fresh skin and soft tissue: the majority of the injuries have a circular appearance. The wound margins are finely serrated with irregular edges and circumscribed 1-2 mm intervals within, partly showing protruding indentations up to 5 mm. Distinct parallel cutaneous lacerations deriving from the biting action of the upper and lower pairs of the rodents incisors are diagnostic for tooth marks of rodent origin but cannot always be found. No claw-induced damage can be found in the skin beyond the wound margins. Areas involved in the present study were: exposed and unprotected parts of the body, such as eyelids, nose and mouth (representing moist parts of the face); and the back of the hands. Postmortem rodent activity may occasionally be expected on clothed and therefore protected parts of the body. The phenomenon of postmortem rodent activity to human bodies can be found indoors especially under circumstances of low socioeconomic settings; outdoors this finding is particularly observed among fatalities among homeless people.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsokos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matschke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gehl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koops
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Püschel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats