Forensic medical examination of feces in traces on material evidence: a Review

Abstract

The article provides a scientific review of works devoted to the issue of forensic medical examination of feces in traces on material evidence. This issue has attracted the attention of researchers for more than a hundred years ago due to the need to identify feces in traces on material evidence during the investigation of criminal acts, including sexual assault cases. Analysis of literature sources has shown that the existing methods of feces detection are based on the study of its morphological, enzyme, pigment and bacteriological compositions. As the methods of laboratory diagnostics improved, the methods of fecal identification were also improved – from microscopic to high-tech molecular genetic methods. However, despite the advantages, each of the existing methods have their limitations. Thus, in our opinion, it is necessary to develop an integrated approach to the identification of feces in order to be able to identify its micro-traces, to study putrefactively altered objects, to differentiate feces from other biological fluids of the human body and animal feces, as well as to carry out a comparative study of feces in traces and fecal samples of persons involved in order to establish their common origin.