Microbial Forensics: The Role of Biological Fluids’ Microbiome in Forensic Caseworks Anand Shefali1, Kishor Kunal2,*, Jha Pooja3, Azmeen Farha4, Chandravanshi Lalit5 1Department of Forensic Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India 2Department of Microbiology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India 3Department of Microbiology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India 4Department of Microbiology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India 5Department of Forensic Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India *Corresponding Author, Dr. Kunal Kishor, Department of Microbiology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201310, India, Email: kunal.kishor@sharda.ac.in
Online Published on 12 January, 2024. Abstract Microbial Forensics is a promising branch of Forensic Science that fills the knowledge gaps and empowers the conventional and traditional forensic investigative procedures. The studies incorporated for the forensic investigations mostly focus on the internal organ samples and the soil samples, whereas the microbiome present in mouth, skin and vaginal area. Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and hence, are involved in the natural metabolic activities, and therefore they are considered as physical evidence in the forensic investigations. The microbial species attacks the cadaver after the death of an individual and starts the decomposition of the body. The whole process of decomposition is an amalgamation of microbial and entomological attack which is dependent on various factors like soil, surrounding environment, temperature, humidity etc. The study of the microbial species can be an important aspect of the forensic investigations as it helps in the estimation of Post Mortem Interval (PMI). From the last few years, microbial forensics is gaining limelight as microbes can prove to be better evidence than entomological species for estimating Post Mortem Interval. Top Keywords Microbial Forensics, Post Mortem Interval, Forensic Science, Decomposition, Cadaver. Top |