Postmortem skin microbiome signatures associated with human cadavers within the first 12 h at the morgue

Forensic microbiome studies expanded during the last decade, aiming to identify putative bacterial biomarkers to be used for the postmortem interval (PMI) estimation. Bacterial diversity and dynamics during decomposition are influenced by each individual's micro and macroenvironment, ante and postmortem conditions, varying across body sites and time. The skin, the largest organ of the human body, hosts a diverse microbial diversity, representing the first line of defense of a living individual. Targeting the investigation of the postmortem skin microbiome could help understanding the role of microbes during decomposition, and association with the ante and postmortem conditions.

The current study aimed to identify the postmortem skin microbiome signatures associated with eight human bodies, received at the Institute of Legal Medicine Iasi, Romania, during April and May 2021. A total of 162 samples (including triplicate) representing face and hands skin microbiome were investigated via Illumina MiSeq, upon arrival at the morgue (T0) and after 12 hours (T1).

The taxonomic characteristics of the skin microbiota varied across different body sites. However, there were no significant differences in taxonomic profiles between collection time, T0 and T1, except for some dynamic changes in the abundance of dominant bacteria. Moreover, different microbial signatures have been associated with a specific cause of death, such as cardiovascular disease, while an elevated blood alcohol level could be associated with a decrease in bacterial richness and diversity.

The places where the bodies were discovered seemed to play an important role in explaining the bacterial diversity composition. This study shows promising results towards finding common postmortem bacterial signatures associated with human cadavers within the first 12h at the morgue.