The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations

Author:

Cláudia-Ferreira Ana1,Barbosa Daniel José12ORCID,Saegeman Veroniek3ORCID,Fernández-Rodríguez Amparo4,Dinis-Oliveira Ricardo Jorge1567ORCID,Freitas Ana R.178ORCID,

Affiliation:

1. 1H-TOXRUN, One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal

2. Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

3. Department of Infection Control and Prevention, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

4. Microbiology Laboratory, Biology Service, Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, 28232 Madrid, Spain

5. Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal

6. UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal

7. Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal

8. UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal

Abstract

The relevance of postmortem microbiological examinations has been controversial for decades, but the boom in advanced sequencing techniques over the last decade is increasingly demonstrating their usefulness, namely for the estimation of the postmortem interval. This comprehensive review aims to present the current knowledge about the human postmortem microbiome (the necrobiome), highlighting the main factors influencing this complex process and discussing the principal applications in the field of forensic sciences. Several limitations still hindering the implementation of forensic microbiology, such as small-scale studies, the lack of a universal/harmonized workflow for DNA extraction and sequencing technology, variability in the human microbiome, and limited access to human cadavers, are discussed. Future research in the field should focus on identifying stable biomarkers within the dominant Bacillota and Pseudomonadota phyla, which are prevalent during postmortem periods and for which standardization, method consolidation, and establishment of a forensic microbial bank are crucial for consistency and comparability. Given the complexity of identifying unique postmortem microbial signatures for robust databases, a promising future approach may involve deepening our understanding of specific bacterial species/strains that can serve as reliable postmortem interval indicators during the process of body decomposition. Microorganisms might have the potential to complement routine forensic tests in judicial processes, requiring robust investigations and machine-learning models to bridge knowledge gaps and adhere to Locard’s principle of trace evidence.

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Virology,Microbiology (medical),Microbiology

Cited by 4 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3