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Trichophyton Mentagrophytes Perforates Hair of Adult Corpses in the Gaseous Period* |
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| Authors: | Renato Evando M Filho MS José Júlio C Sidrim PhD Rossana de A Cordeiro PhD Erica P Caetano BSc Marcos Fabio G Rocha PhD Raimunda Sâmia N Brilhante PhD |
| Institution: | 1. Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.;2. Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE Brazil.;3. Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE Brazil.;4. Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Science, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE Brazil. |
| Abstract: | Abstract: Despite the substantial literature on mycology, there are still limited reports of the interaction between fungi and human hosts in the postmortem period. Thus, the main goal of this study was to investigate the in vitro perforation test using Trichophyton mentagrophytes on hair from adult corpses in the postmortem period (gaseous period). The protocol was carried out with positive (prepubescent children’s hair) and negative controls (healthy adult hair) as well. One strain of Trichophyton rubrum was also used as a negative perforation control. Perforations were found in all the hair samples from corpses and prepubescent children after 12–14 days exposure to T. mentagrophytes and were absent in the hair samples of healthy adults. Furthermore, hair perforation was not observed with T. rubrum. Our preliminary findings suggest the use of T. mentagrophytes as a potential marker of the death interval in forensic science. |
| Keywords: | forensic science forensic mycology Trichophyton mentagrophytes in vitro hair perforation gaseous period markers of time of death |