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Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Diagnostic Necropsy and Selected Tissue and Sample Collection in Rats and Mice
Published on: August 7, 2011
Bacterial Succession on Rat Carcasses and Applications for PMI Estimation
Unlabelled:
Abstract:
Objective:
To investigate the bacterial succession on rat carcasses and to evaluate the use of bacterial succession for postmortem interval (PMI) estimation.
Methods:
Adult female SD rat remains were placed in carton boxes. The bacterial colonization of circumocular skin, mouth and vagina was collected to be identified using culture-dependent biochemical methods. The changes in community composition were regularly documented.
Results:
The bacterial succession in three habitats showed that Staphylococcus and Neisseria were predominated in early PMI, especially Staphylococcus aureus and Neisseria lactamica in 6 hours after death. Lactobacillus casei developed on the 3-4 days regularly, and kept stable at a certain level in late PMI.
Conclusion:
The involvement of normal and putrefactive bacteria in three body habitats of rat remains can be used for PMI estimation.
