Diagnostic value of PSA and AP tests for the detection of spermatozoa in postmortem swabs from the genital and anal region in males.
The aim of this study was to clarify whether positive results for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and acid phosphatase (AP) occur in postmortem swabs from the genito-anal region in males (n = 80; 4 regions) and females (n = 20; 3 regions) and to calculate the positive predictive value (PPV) concerning the presence of spermatozoa. In male subjects, the highest incidence of positive test results was found in urethral swabs (PSA 76%, AP 71%) and the lowest frequencies appeared in perianal and rectal swabs (15-20%). Microscopic evaluation for spermatozoa was positive between 39% in urethral swabs and 1% in rectal swabs. PPV regarding positive identification of spermatozoa was 33.3% for PSA and 31.5% for AP. The combination of both tests yielded a PPV of 38.2%. In female cases, no spermatozoa were identified, and one case was PSA- and AP-positive in perianal swabs. Our findings indicate that PSA and AP tests are of limited value for the postmortem detection of spermatozoa in male subjects.
Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, 22529, Hamburg, Germany.
Laurence
L
Weitzig
Ann Sophie
AS
Schroeder
Christa
C
Augustin
Tobias
T
Raupach
Susanne
S
Sehner
Sven
S
Anders
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis*; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000473:pathology; D010502:Perineum / Q000473:pathology; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology
D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen
acid phosphatase; forensic casework; forensic science; prostate-specific antigen; semen; spermatozoa