title: Forensic entomology of high-rise buildings in Malaysia: Three case reports.
abstract: The distributions of flies are not only confined to ground level but can also be at higher altitudes. Here, we report three forensic cases involving dipterans in high-rise buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Case 1 involved a corpse of adult female found at the top floor of a fifteen-story apartment. Case 2 dealt with a body of a 75-year-old female discovered in a bedroom on the eleventh floor of an eighteen-story building, while Case 3 was a 52-year-old male found in his fifth floor shop house. Interestingly, entomological analysis revealed that all corpses were infested with similar Dipterans: Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae), Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) (Diptera: Muscidae) and sarcophagid (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). The first two species were commonly associated with corpses found indoors at ground level. We noted the additional occurrence of blowflies Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae in Case 2 and Case 3, respectively. Findings from this study are significant as they demonstrate that certain groups of fly can locate dead bodies even in high-rise buildings. Forensic entomofauna research on corpses found at high elevation is scarce and our study has highlighted the peculiarity of the fly species involved in Malaysia.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Science Programme, School of Diagnostic & Applied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Syamsa
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology & Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Programme, School of Diagnostic & Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zuha
authors.affiliation: Forensic Unit, Department of Pathology, UKM Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Faridah
authors.affiliation: Forensic Unit, Department of Pathology, UKM Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Swarhib
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology & Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hidayatulfathi
authors.affiliation: Forensic Unit, Department of Pathology, UKM Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Shahrom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D004175:Diptera / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development*; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged