Fungal microbiota dynamics as a postmortem investigation tool: focus on Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida species.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the presence of fungi during three human decomposition stages: bloated, putrefaction and skeletonization.


RESULTS
The samples were gathered in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, from the public morgue and cemeteries. The material was submitted to conventional mycological procedures by direct examination and macro/micro morphological and biochemical analyses. The main fungi isolated were Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and Candida spp. in the bloated stage (n = 34 cadavers) and in the putrefaction stage (n = 6 cadavers), while in the skeletonization stage (n = 20 cadavers), the main fungi were Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and Mucor sp.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida species were associated with decomposed human cadavers.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings enable tracing out the profile of fungal communities of human cadavers for the first time. However, much more research will be necessary to develop this new segment of mycology and to enable its routine use in forensic science.
Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
J J C
JJ
Sidrim
R E
RE
Moreira Filho
R A
RA
Cordeiro
M F G
MF
Rocha
E P
EP
Caetano
A J
AJ
Monteiro
R S N
RS
Brilhante
D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D044707:Forensic Sciences; D006801:Humans; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D011180:Postmortem Changes