Ethanol production in the gut: an autopsy case

Area of Science:

• Forensic Toxicology
• Medical Microbiology
• Postmortem Investigations

Background:

• Postmortem ethanol production by microorganisms can elevate blood alcohol concentration (BAC), complicating forensic interpretations.
• Elevated BAC levels may lead to inaccurate conclusions regarding the cause of death or antemortem alcohol consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a peculiar case of postmortem ethanol production detected solely in stomach contents.
• To identify the specific microorganism responsible for endogenous ethanol generation in this case.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of an 87-year-old female with findings of severe dehydration and poor health.
• Autopsy and postmortem alcohol analysis focusing on stomach content.
• Microbiological analysis to identify the causative yeast species.

Main Results:

• Postmortem toxicology revealed a significantly high ethanol concentration exclusively within the stomach content.
• Microbiological examination identified Candida glabrata as the yeast species responsible for ethanol production.

Conclusions:

• Candida glabrata can cause postmortem ethanol production, leading to localized high concentrations in the stomach.
• This finding underscores the importance of considering microbial activity in postmortem toxicology to prevent misinterpretation.