title: The use of forensic tests to distinguish blowfly artifacts from human blood, semen, and saliva.
abstract: This study investigated whether routinely used forensic tests can distinguish 3-day-old or 2-week-old fly artifacts, produced after feeding on human blood, semen, or saliva, from the biological fluid. Hemastix(®) , Hemident(™) , and Hemascein(™) were unable to distinguish blood from artifacts. Hemastix(®) returned false positives from negative controls. ABAcard(®) Hematrace(®) and Hexagon OBTI could distinguish blood from 3-day-old artifacts, but not 2-week-old artifacts. Phadebas(®) and SALIgAE(®) were unable to distinguish saliva from artifacts. RSID(™) -Saliva was able to distinguish saliva from 3-day-old artifacts, but not 2-week-old artifacts. Semen tests Seminal Acid Phosphatase, RSID(™) -Semen, and ABAcard(®) p30 were all able to distinguish semen from 3-day-old artifacts, but not 2-week-old artifacts. The tests investigated cannot be relied upon to distinguish artifacts from biological fluids. However, if an artifact is identified by its morphology, a positive result may indicate which biological fluid the fly consumed, and this knowledge may prove useful for investigators searching for DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, School of Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., 3086, Australia; Biology Division, Victoria Police Forensic Services Department, Macleod, Melbourne, Vic., 3085, Australia.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durdle
authors.forename: R John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Roland A H
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: van Oorschot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D001769:Blood; D004175:Diptera; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011934:Reagent Strips; D012463:Saliva; D012661:Semen; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011934:Reagent Strips
keywords: DNA; Lucilia cuprina; bloodstain pattern analysis; crime scene investigation; fly artifacts; forensic entomology; forensic science