Trichophyton mentagrophytes perforates hair of adult corpses in the gaseous period.
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.
Filho
Renato Evando M
RE
Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Sidrim
José Júlio C
JJ
Cordeiro
Rossana de A
Rde A
Caetano
Erica P
EP
Rocha
Marcos Fabio G
MF
Brilhante
Raimunda Sâmia N
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006197:Hair / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000302:isolation & purification*