NCJ Number
222068
Journal
Forensics Science International: Genetics Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2008 Pages: 83-90
Date Published
March 2008
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article briefly examines genotyping methods using human parasites, such as JC virus to effectively estimate the geographic origin of human individuals and thereby, narrow down the geographical search area for cadaver identification.
Abstract
The recent trends of internationalization and criminal activity have made the identification of missing people very difficult. Genotyping of human parasites is a very simple and efficient way to estimate the geographic origin of human individuals and helps narrow down the geographical search area for cadaver identification. However, since this method is not useful for all cases and results not absolute, the use of genotyping methods can initiate investigations of missing people in much more probable areas. Most cadavers are found in the early stage of the postmortem period and most still have soft tissue; therefore, the parasite method makes more detailed profiling and investigation of unidentified cadavers both more efficient and economical. As many parasites have co-evolved with humans, there will be many other parasites that can be used for geographic identification. In the identification of cadavers, DNA typing method is widely used. However, as this technique requires reference DNA samples, a method that would quickly narrow down possible candidates for the cadavers is needed to enable rapid identification. Methods using the human parasites JC virus, BK virus, and EB virus are today being reported. These new methods narrow down the candidates by elucidating geographic origins. Though not detectable in all cases, results using such methods with several parasites have been effective. Tables, references