title: Forensic interlaboratory evaluation of the ForFLUID kit for vaginal fluids identification.
abstract: Identification of vaginal fluids is an important step in the process of sexual assaults confirmation. Advances in both microbiology and molecular biology defined technical approaches allowing the discrimination of body fluids. These protocols are based on the identification of specific bacterial communities by microfloraDNA (mfDNA) amplification. A multiplex real time-PCR assay (ForFLUID kit) has been developed for identifying biological fluids and for discrimination among vaginal, oral and fecal samples. In order to test its efficacy and reliability of the assay in the identification of vaginal fluids, an interlaboratory evaluation has been performed on homogeneous vaginal swabs. All the involved laboratories were able to correctly recognize all the vaginal swabs, and no false positives were identified when the assay was applied on non-vaginal samples. The assay represents an useful molecular tool that can be easily adopted by forensic geneticists involved in vaginal fluid identification.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Foro Italico", Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Public Health Unit, P.zza L. De Bosis, 6, 00135 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giampaoli
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Conca - Torrette, 60126 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.affiliation: Carabinieri, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma, V.le di Tor di Quinto, 119, 00191 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berti
authors.affiliation: Carabinieri, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma, V.le di Tor di Quinto, 119, 00191 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ripani
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ajin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology, Vilvoordsesteenweg 100, 1120 Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Roselien
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crab
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Foro Italico", Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Public Health Unit, P.zza L. De Bosis, 6, 00135 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Vittori
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pazmany Peter stny. 1/C, Hungary; GenoID - Forensic DNA Laboratory, H-1023, Budapest, Lajos utca 28-32, Hungary.
authors.forename: Balazs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Egyed
authors.affiliation: Universität Zürich, Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cordula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics of the First Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital in Prague, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 4, Praha 2 128 00, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korabecná
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology, Vilvoordsesteenweg 100, 1120 Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Sciences, The George Washington University, 2100 Foxhall Road NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Podini
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Conca - Torrette, 60126 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tagliabracci
authors.affiliation: Molecular Digital Diagnostics (MDD) s.r.l., Via de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Foro Italico", Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Public Health Unit, P.zza L. De Bosis, 6, 00135 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: vincenzo.romanospica@uniroma4.it.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Romano Spica
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Bacteria; Forensic; Interlaboratory evaluation; Multiplex PCR; Vaginal fluids; mfDNA