Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1999 Apr;52(4):267–270. doi: 10.1136/jcp.52.4.267

Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C markers among a cadaver population in Milan.

C Cattaneo 1, P A Nuttall 1, L O Molendini 1, M Pellegrinelli 1, M Grandi 1, R J Sokol 1
PMCID: PMC501330  PMID: 10474517

Abstract

AIMS: To examine the distribution of serological markers for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a medicolegal population; to compare prevalence of HIV and HCV markers and cause of death; and to evaluate the risk of potential infection to personnel involved in medicolegal incidents and procedures. METHODS: Blood samples were collected at necropsy from 328 males and 69 females, aged 16 to 50 years at time of death, and tested for antibodies to HIV and HCV. The individuals were classified according to cause of death and whether there was known antemortem risk of infection. RESULTS: Overall, 134 subjects gave positive test results: 20 for anti-HIV, 69 for anti-HCV, and 45 for both. By cause of death, the total number of positives (and negatives) with the pairs of figures referring, respectively, to patients with and without known antemortem risks were: natural causes 3 (1), 8 (32); AIDS 2 (0), 0 (0); homicide 0 (2), 5 (24); suicide 3 (0), 9 (69); road traffic accidents 1 (0), 9 (81); other accidents 2 (3), 1 (12); drug overdose 74 (17), 7 (9); unknown causes 3 (2), 7 (11). CONCLUSIONS: The cases tested represented a predominantly young male population with a high prevalence of serological markers for HIV and HCV infection. The distribution of HIV and HCV positivity varied with the cause of death, probably reflecting the known association between high risk behaviour and infection. However, a substantial number of cases with no known risks also had markers for HIV and HCV, suggesting that there is a large unrecognised pool of potential infection in medicolegal practice.

Full text

PDF
267

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Cattaneo C., Nuttall P. A., Sokol R. J. Detection of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C markers in discarded syringes and bloodstains. Sci Justice. 1996 Oct-Dec;36(4):271–274. doi: 10.1016/S1355-0306(96)72613-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Di Bisceglie A. M. Hepatitis C. Lancet. 1998 Jan 31;351(9099):351–355. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(97)07361-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Galea G., Gillon J., Urbaniak S. J., Ribbons C. A. Study on medical donor deferrals at sessions. Transfus Med. 1996 Mar;6(1):37–43. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3148.1996.d01-50.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gilbart V. L., Raeside F., Evans B. G., Mortimer J. Y., Arnold C., Gill O. N., Clewley J. P., Goldberg D. Unusual HIV transmissions through blood contact: analysis of cases reported in the United Kingdom to December 1997. Commun Dis Public Health. 1998 Jun;1(2):108–113. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Goldberg D., Cameron S., McMenamin J. Hepatitis C virus antibody prevalence among injecting drug users in Glasgow has fallen but remains high. Commun Dis Public Health. 1998 Jun;1(2):95–97. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Karhunen P. J., Brummer-Korvenkontio H., Laaksonen H., Kantanen M. L., Arstila P., Leinikki P. Surveillance of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies in medicolegal autopsies in Finland--monitoring early changes in HIV-seropositivity among risk groups and average population. J Forensic Sci. 1992 Sep;37(5):1261–1268. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kringsholm B., Theilade P., Geertinger P. The occurrence of HIV antibodies in drug addicts autopsied at the University Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen in 1987. Forensic Sci Int. 1989 Jun;41(3):281–284. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(89)90221-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kringsholm B., Theilade P. Prevalence of HIV-1 antibodies in drug addicts autopsied at the University Institute of Forensic Pathology in Copenhagen 1988-1991. Forensic Sci Int. 1992 Jul;55(1):83–92. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(92)90097-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lockemann U., Püschel K. HIV-1 prevalence among drug deaths--a multicenter study. Forensic Sci Int. 1993 Nov;62(1-2):89–93. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(93)90050-k. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lockemann U., Schulz-Schaeffer W., Wischhusen F., Laufs R., Püschel K. HIV-1-prevalence in fatalities from Hamburg, Germany. Int J Legal Med. 1993;106(1):11–13. doi: 10.1007/BF01225017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Paterson S. C., Vanezis P., Claydon S. M. Drug addict deaths in north and west London and prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B infection. Sci Justice. 1996 Apr-Jun;36(2):85–88. doi: 10.1016/S1355-0306(96)72570-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Püschel K., Lockemann U., Schneider V., Brettel H. F., Penning R., Rajs J., Fugelstad A., Kringsholm B., Risser D., Vonlanthen B. HIV-1- prevalence among drug deaths in major cities of central and northern Europe. Forensic Sci Int. 1992 Nov;57(1):57–62. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(92)90046-y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rajs J., Karlsson T., Eklund B., Bergendahl K. HIV-related deaths outside medical institutions in Stockholm. Forensic Sci Int. 1989 Jun;41(3):269–280. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(89)90220-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ramsay M. E., Balogun M. A., Collins M., Balraj V. Laboratory surveillance of hepatitis C virus infection in England and Wales: 1992 to 1996. Commun Dis Public Health. 1998 Jun;1(2):89–94. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sadler D. W., Pounder D. J., Urquhart G. E., Porter-Boveri M. Prevalence of HIV antibody in forensic cases. BMJ. 1992 Apr 18;304(6833):1027–1028. doi: 10.1136/bmj.304.6833.1027. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wreghitt T. G., Irish N. Transmission of blood-borne viruses after motor-car accidents. Lancet. 1998 Feb 7;351(9100):450–451. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(05)78402-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES