新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情期间尸体检验工作的现状和建议

新型冠状病毒肺炎(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)系一种新发冠状病毒传染病,与严重急性呼吸综合征(severe acute respiratory syndrome,SARS)、中东呼吸综合征(Middle East respiratory syndrome,MERS)一样,均属冠状病毒所致的呼吸系统传染病。与SARS和MERS相比,COVID-19死亡率较低[1],但传染性更强、确诊病例较多。由于感染人数基数大,尽管死亡率相对较低,但疫情防控形势更为严峻。     

冠状病毒肺炎的病理学特征回顾与展望

自2003年以来,冠状病毒已造成以严重急性呼吸综合征(severe acute respiratory syndrome,SARS)、中东呼吸综合征(Middle East respiratory syndrome,MERS)和新型冠状病毒肺炎(corona virus disease2019,COVID-19)为代表的多次全球流行的重大公共卫生事件。特别是2019年12月至今,湖北武汉爆发的COVID-19,已对人民健康、生命产生了巨大影响。但截至目前,COVID-19的病理学诊断较为缺乏,尚局限于穿刺器官病理所见,广大医疗工作者对其病理特点认识不足。COVID-19与SARS、MERS一样,致病源均属冠状病毒科,均引起病毒性肺炎,具有一定的共性。本文对上述3种疾病尸体检验所见的病理学特征进行较为全面的综述,以期为COVID-19的病理学改变分析提供借鉴和参考。     

虚拟解剖在新型冠状病毒肺炎法医病理学研究中的应用展望

传染病死者的尸体解剖对于公共卫生事件的管理具有重要意义。由于多种原因限制,新型冠状病毒肺炎(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)疫情发生以来,对2019新型冠状病毒感染死者进行法医学尸体解剖的数量较少,使法医学在传染病防治中的作用未能及时发挥。虚拟解剖(virtual autopsy,virtopsy)对传染病死者尸体的检验具有独特的优势,积累虚拟解剖影像学资料对COVID-19的病理机制研究及临床诊治具有重要意义。本文介绍了COVID-19的病理学和影像学改变的对应关系以及虚拟解剖在传染病尸体检验中的应用,旨在为法医工作者在COVID-19疫情中开展虚拟解剖检验提供参考。     

全球新型冠状病毒感染（COVID-19）相关死亡的病理变化及死因分析

新型冠状病毒感染（coronavirus disease 2019,COVID-19）已在全球流行超过3年,造成690多万人死亡。COVID-19具有强传染性和长潜伏期的临床特点,能造成以肺损伤为主的多系统损伤,临床出现急性呼吸窘迫综合征以及全身多器官损伤症状,其病毒SARS-Co V-2仍在不断变异。目前全球对COVID-19相关死亡的病理改变乃至于死因判断标准并未达成共识,调查该疾病的基本病变和病变进展,有助于指导临床治疗以及治疗药物的研制。本文综述了全球2020年2月至2023年6月发表的COVID-19尸体检验报告及相关文献,以有明确的尸体检验案例数量以及对应的重要器官病理学改变为纳入标准,共纳入来自18个国家65篇论文的1 111例尸体检验案例,对病理表现和死因进行归类和统计学分析,归纳和总结了COVID-19的共性病理变化,并提出分析结论 ,认为COVID-19感染能引起全身重要器官发生危及生命的病理改变,在感染群体健康水平各异的基础上,死亡案例的直接死因主要为严重的肺部损伤及其继发的全身多器官功能衰竭。     

热词

COVID-19 COVID-19,全称Coronavirus Disease 2019,是2019年暴发的新型冠状病毒所引发的疾病。2019年末该病暴发,并扩散至全球数个国家。2020年2月11日,世界卫生组织正式命名“新型冠状病毒感染的肺炎”为“COVID-19”。其中,“CO”代表Corona(冠状),“VI”代表Virus(病毒),“D”代表Disease(疾病),“19”代表疾病发现的年份2019年。     

从SARS-CoV到SARS-CoV-2：法医传染病尸体检验的应对与挑战

正1两次事件经过与尸体检验情况回顾1.1严重急性呼吸综合征(severe acute respiratory syndrome,SARS)SARS事件:是2002年12月开始在广东发生,至2003年8月结束,疫情迅速波及全球29个国家和地区的传染病大事件。SARS起病初期命名为"非典",2002年12月5日世界首例患者在广东河源市被发     

新型冠状病毒肺炎流行期的现场生物物证取证初探

公安机关法医具有勘查非正常死亡案件现场、提取生物物证检材等职责,在各类现场环境中,不可避免地存在诸多潜在危险因素,威胁一线勘查人员的身体健康和生命安全。其中,传染性生物物证检材对于法医物证检验人员而言一直是个颇为棘手的问题。自2020年1月以来,2019新型冠状病毒(以下简称“新冠病毒”)蔓延成为一个全球性公共卫生安全问题。在此背景下,法医物证检验人员处理涉及新型冠状病毒肺炎患者(尸体)或疑似新冠病毒感染者(尸体)的案件时,既增加了现场生物物证检材(以下简称“生物物证”)采集和处理的难度,也增加了检验人员的人身安全危险系数。故本文从生物物证的采集、运输、DNA提取纯化、保存和废物管理5个方面,对处理涉及新型冠状病毒肺炎患者(尸体)或疑似新冠病毒感染者(尸体)案件的生物物证取证流程进行探讨。     

新冠肺炎尸检:法医工作者面临的挑战与对策

新型冠状病毒肺炎(简称"新冠肺炎")病例于2019年12月出现,疫情在短时间内蔓延,已导致数千名患者死亡。目前我们对新冠肺炎的致病、转归、致死的病理学机制了解甚少,尽早开展新冠肺炎死亡病例的尸体检验尤为重要,这给法医工作者带来了挑战。新冠肺炎尸检应在可以维持负压的独立解剖室进行,检验人员应严格按照三级防护标准穿戴防护用具,注重环境、器械、耗材的消毒以及废液废弃物处理。解剖及检验过程应规范、谨慎,尽量减少切割操作,并避免体液流出或组织飞溅导致病毒传播。本文将就法医工作者面临新冠肺炎尸检的挑战与对策做一述评。     

氯喹类药物在新型冠状病毒肺炎治疗中的试用及其法医毒理学研究进展

氯喹类药物是一类历史悠久的处方药,临床常用于抗疟疾及结缔组织病的治疗。2019年12月以来,在我国各地和世界多国发生了由2019新型冠状病毒(2019 novel coronavirus,2019-nCoV)引起的新型冠状病毒肺炎(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)疫情。由于缺乏针对COVID-19的药物,导致该病迅速蔓延且死亡率较高,因此亟待快速筛选抗2019-nCoV的特效药物,已批准使用的抗疟药磷酸氯喹被证实具有抗2019-nCoV的作用,并被纳入诊疗指南。但对磷酸氯喹引起急性中毒甚至死亡的风险意识也应同时加强,当前临床推荐剂量较以往治疗疟疾用药剂量偏大、疗程偏长,多地已要求临床密切监测不良反应。本文从法医学的角度,对氯喹类药物的药理作用、中毒与毒理作用机制、体内代谢与分布及法医学鉴定要点进行综述,以期为法医学实践及临床工作提供帮助。     

新型冠状病毒疫情期法医学尸体检验的安全防护

正自2019年12月以来,湖北地区首发,全国各地乃至全球继发了多例新型冠状病毒感染引起的新型冠状病毒肺炎(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)病例。流行病学证实,新型冠状病毒对人群普遍易感[1],甚至无症状感染者也可能成为传染源[2]。随着疫     

新冠疾病疫情期间死因不明尸体解剖处置流程和规范

公安法医在疫情期间随时会接触到未知名或疫情史不明确的尸体,尤其是死因不明的尸体需要进行尸体解剖,不可避免地要全程面对新冠病毒感染的高风险,笔者依据《中华人民共和国传染病防治法》等相关法律法规、新型冠状病毒及肺炎的特点、疫情防控工作指引和公安部《关于规范新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情防控期间现场勘查处置工作的指导意见》,结合本地公安法医鉴定工作实际,通过死因不明的尸体解剖工作流程上,对前期准备、人员防护、解剖操作、后期消毒及物资配备等方面进行探索,提出在新冠疾病疫情期间公安法医尸体解剖处置及防护建议,供一线法医和司法鉴定人员参考。     

新冠疾病对法医精神病鉴定的挑战与思考

新冠疾病(COVID-19)传染性强,潜伏期长,已在全球快速蔓延,给司法鉴定带来新的挑战.本文对COVID-19疫情下法医精神病鉴定的日常工作相关环节如何避免感染,COVID-19导致的器质性与功能性精神损伤特点及其损伤/伤残评定,COVID-19与精神卫生医疗机构医疗纠纷的防范及法医学鉴定思路等方面进行了探讨,并提出...     

新冠肺炎等传染病与法医学鉴定评述

新冠肺炎致死或引发的其他法律纠纷可能涉及法医学病理解剖或者法医临床学鉴定。在日常法医学解剖中时有遇到因传染性疾病死亡患者的尸体,法医鉴定机构及鉴定人应当有风险识别意识,充分认识到在解剖、检查这类尸体时的被传染风险。法医鉴定人需要采取充分有效的防护措施。由于新冠肺炎属于新型传染性疾病,相关研究成果、信息资料更新快,鉴定中的信息参考要慎重选择。同时本文对因传染性疾病死亡患者的尸体解剖中常见的职业伦理、知情同意、保险理赔和环境保护等问题进行讨论。     

Fat embolism syndrome associated with atraumatic compartment syndrome of the bilateral upper extremities: An unreported etiology

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a potentially life-threatening condition that develops when fat embolism leads to clinical symptoms and multisystem dysfunction. The classic triad of respiratory distress, neurologic symptoms, and petechial rash are non-specific, and the lack of specific laboratory tests makes the diagnosis of FES difficult. Although FES is most common after long bone fractures, multiple conditions some of which are atraumatic have been associated with the development of FES. We report a case of FES that occurred in the setting of a non-traumatic compartment syndrome of the upper extremities. The pathologic and clinical findings, pathophysiology, diagnostic challenges, and pathologic methods to properly diagnose FES are discussed with a review of the relevant literature. This case highlights the importance of the autopsy in making a diagnosis of FES in cases where death could otherwise be incorrectly attributed to multi-organ system failure, shock, or sepsis.     

An autopsy case of intraoperative death due to pulmonary fat embolism--possibly caused by release of tourniquet after multiple muscle-release and tenotomy of the bilateral lower limbs

Acute interstitial pneumonitis (AIP), also known as Hamman-Rich syndrome, is a distinct type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia affecting patients of both genders without pre-existing lung diseases. We describe the case of a fulminant form of AIP and discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of AIP with reference to the histological pattern. A 15-year-previously-healthy male boy presented to the Hospital with a 6-day history of malaise, fever and cough. The clinical prodromes were followed by the acute onset of increasing shortness of breath rapidly progressing in acute respiratory failure. Chest X-ray demonstrated bilateral diffuse airspace opacification; the high resolution CT confirmed the presence of bilateral, symmetric diffuse ground-glass attenuation. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit, but died after few hours. An autopsy was performed within 24h. The histological examination of lung specimens showed a pattern of diffuse alveolar damage. immunohistochemical, microbiological and toxicological tests were also carried out. The clinical presentation, the histological findings and the exclusion of infective, traumatic, toxic and metabolic causes of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) allowed us to conclude that the boy was affected by AIP. In conclusion, AIP is a diagnosis of exclusion. It has a mortality rate ranging about 50%, despite mechanical ventilation. In fatal cases of AIP diagnosis can be based on clinical presentation, radiological, histological and microbiological findings and can be further confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis.     

Two Fatal Cases of Hidden Pneumonia in Young People*

Abstract: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe lung disease characterized by inflammation of the lung parenchyma leading to impaired gas exchange. This condition is often lethal, usually requiring mechanical ventilation and admission to an intensive care unit. We present two fatal cases of hidden pneumonia in young people and discuss the pathophysiological mechanism of ARDS with reference to the histological pattern. A complete forensic approach by means of autopsy and histological, immunohistochemical, and microbiological, examination was carried out. In both cases the cause of death was cardio‐respiratory failure following an acute bilateral pneumonia with diffuse alveolar damage and ARDS associated with sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Our cases suggest on one side the importance of an early diagnosis to avoid unexpected death while on the other that the diagnosis of ARDS has to be confirmed on the basis of a careful postmortem examination and a complete microscopy and microbiological study.     

The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Victim Advocacy Agency Utilization Across Pennsylvania

This brief report highlights the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the utilization of Victim Advocacy Agencies’ (VAAs’) services across Pennsylvania, using VAA utilization data from 2019–2020. VAA utilization data in this report were collected from 2019–2020 by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR). VAA utilization data were anchored to COVID-19 restriction timelines, defined by the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor. For each month, a percent change in VAA utilization (e.g., Jan 2020 utilization compared to Jan 2019 utilization) was calculated. A one-way ANOVA was run to assess whether the association between restriction phase and percent change in overall VAA utilization from 2019 to 2020 was statistically significant. A substantial decrease in VAA utilization was observed once lockdown restrictions were enacted, as well as a sustained decrease in utilization between 2019 and 2020. When restrictions were eased, an increase in service utilization was noted. This pattern of findings held for the three variables assessed: hotline utilization, new client, and medical accompaniments for FREs per month. The one-way ANOVA confirmed a statistically significant decrease in overall VAA utilization when comparing the most severe COVID-19 related restrictions to both pre-COVID and less severe restrictions. A variety of barriers (e.g., financial instability, loss of childcare, technology access, chronic physical proximity to abuser, hospital visitation restrictions, fears of contracting the virus) may result in decreased utilization of VAA services. Future research should investigate the relevance of potential causal mechanisms behind VAA utilization to help inform intervention approaches.