The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations
The relevance of <i>postmortem</i> microbiological examinations has been controversial for decades, but the boom in advanced sequencing techniques over the last decade is increasingly demonstrating their usefulness, namely for the estimation of the <i>postmortem</i> interval....
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2509 |
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| author | Ana Cláudia-Ferreira Daniel José Barbosa Veroniek Saegeman Amparo Fernández-Rodríguez Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira Ana R. Freitas on behalf of the ESCMID Study Group of Forensic and Post-Mortem Microbiology (ESGFOR) |
| author_facet | Ana Cláudia-Ferreira Daniel José Barbosa Veroniek Saegeman Amparo Fernández-Rodríguez Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira Ana R. Freitas on behalf of the ESCMID Study Group of Forensic and Post-Mortem Microbiology (ESGFOR) |
| author_sort | Ana Cláudia-Ferreira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The relevance of <i>postmortem</i> microbiological examinations has been controversial for decades, but the boom in advanced sequencing techniques over the last decade is increasingly demonstrating their usefulness, namely for the estimation of the <i>postmortem</i> interval. This comprehensive review aims to present the current knowledge about the human <i>postmortem</i> microbiome (the necrobiome), highlighting the main factors influencing this complex process and discussing the principal applications in the field of forensic sciences. Several limitations still hindering the implementation of forensic microbiology, such as small-scale studies, the lack of a universal/harmonized workflow for DNA extraction and sequencing technology, variability in the human microbiome, and limited access to human cadavers, are discussed. Future research in the field should focus on identifying stable biomarkers within the dominant Bacillota and Pseudomonadota phyla, which are prevalent during <i>postmortem</i> periods and for which standardization, method consolidation, and establishment of a forensic microbial bank are crucial for consistency and comparability. Given the complexity of identifying unique <i>postmortem</i> microbial signatures for robust databases, a promising future approach may involve deepening our understanding of specific bacterial species/strains that can serve as reliable <i>postmortem</i> interval indicators during the process of body decomposition. Microorganisms might have the potential to complement routine forensic tests in judicial processes, requiring robust investigations and machine-learning models to bridge knowledge gaps and adhere to Locard’s principle of trace evidence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:01:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c438f8534ed84d5898bfad110e86bfe6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:01:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-c438f8534ed84d5898bfad110e86bfe62023-11-19T17:27:51ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072023-10-011110250910.3390/microorganisms11102509The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic InvestigationsAna Cláudia-Ferreira0Daniel José Barbosa1Veroniek Saegeman2Amparo Fernández-Rodríguez3Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira4Ana R. Freitas5on behalf of the ESCMID Study Group of Forensic and Post-Mortem Microbiology (ESGFOR)1H-TOXRUN, One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal1H-TOXRUN, One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, PortugalDepartment of Infection Control and Prevention, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumMicrobiology Laboratory, Biology Service, Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, 28232 Madrid, Spain1H-TOXRUN, One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal1H-TOXRUN, One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, PortugalThe relevance of <i>postmortem</i> microbiological examinations has been controversial for decades, but the boom in advanced sequencing techniques over the last decade is increasingly demonstrating their usefulness, namely for the estimation of the <i>postmortem</i> interval. This comprehensive review aims to present the current knowledge about the human <i>postmortem</i> microbiome (the necrobiome), highlighting the main factors influencing this complex process and discussing the principal applications in the field of forensic sciences. Several limitations still hindering the implementation of forensic microbiology, such as small-scale studies, the lack of a universal/harmonized workflow for DNA extraction and sequencing technology, variability in the human microbiome, and limited access to human cadavers, are discussed. Future research in the field should focus on identifying stable biomarkers within the dominant Bacillota and Pseudomonadota phyla, which are prevalent during <i>postmortem</i> periods and for which standardization, method consolidation, and establishment of a forensic microbial bank are crucial for consistency and comparability. Given the complexity of identifying unique <i>postmortem</i> microbial signatures for robust databases, a promising future approach may involve deepening our understanding of specific bacterial species/strains that can serve as reliable <i>postmortem</i> interval indicators during the process of body decomposition. Microorganisms might have the potential to complement routine forensic tests in judicial processes, requiring robust investigations and machine-learning models to bridge knowledge gaps and adhere to Locard’s principle of trace evidence.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2509microbiomenecrobiomethanatomicrobiomedecompositionbacteria<i>postmortem</i> |
| spellingShingle | Ana Cláudia-Ferreira Daniel José Barbosa Veroniek Saegeman Amparo Fernández-Rodríguez Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira Ana R. Freitas on behalf of the ESCMID Study Group of Forensic and Post-Mortem Microbiology (ESGFOR) The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations Microorganisms microbiome necrobiome thanatomicrobiome decomposition bacteria <i>postmortem</i> |
| title | The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations |
| title_full | The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations |
| title_fullStr | The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations |
| title_short | The Future Is Now: Unraveling the Expanding Potential of Human (Necro)Microbiome in Forensic Investigations |
| title_sort | future is now unraveling the expanding potential of human necro microbiome in forensic investigations |
| topic | microbiome necrobiome thanatomicrobiome decomposition bacteria <i>postmortem</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2509 |
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