Evaluation of three rapid detection methods for the forensic identification of seminal fluid in rape cases

We sought to discover whether spermatozoa concentration and the delay between ejaculation and test influence the results of seminal fluid fast detection tests. Two hundred and twenty-seven anonymous samples divided into four groups (normospermia, oligospermia, azoospermia, and controls) after a semen analysis were subjected to three fast detection semen tests: Diff-Quick fast coloration, Phosphatesmo Km Paper for acid phosphatases (AP) detection, and PSA-Check 1 for prostate specific antigen (PSA) detection. The study was performed at three time points (0, 48, and 72 h). Unlike cytology, results obtained with AP and PSA were not influenced by spermatozoa concentration. PSA detection results remained constant up to 72 h and were more reliable after 48 h than those obtained by AP detection.