Human DNA extraction from larvae: a brief review of the Literature

DOI: 10.5584/jiomics.v10i2.333

Authors

  • Andrea Gabbin Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova – Padova (Italy)
  • Gabriella D'Angiolella Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova – Padova (Italy)
  • Caterina Politi Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova – Padova (Italy)
  • Matteo Sanavio Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova – Padova (Italy)

Abstract

The analysis of the insects present on the corpses is a new frontier of Forensic Entomology Sciences useful for medico-legal evaluation, in order to extract human DNA and facilitate the estimation of the post-mortem interval.

Starting from a case of an unidentified and mummified body, colonized by insects at different developmental stages, we searched in the Literature the procedures of extraction and analysis of human DNA from the larvae. Our analysis found no trace of human genetic material in larvae’s puparia and crops.

This case report adds to the scarce literature available on the human DNA extraction from insects and highlights the analytical challenge of genetic analysis related to post-mortem tissue degradation.

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Published

2021-03-10