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Postmortem Testing for HIV, HBV, and HCV: Insights from Autopsy Findings.
Abhishek Sharma1, Kirti Parmar2, Sunite A Ganju3
1Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India. abhirpgmc@gmail.com.
International Journal of Legal Medicine
|June 11, 2025
Summary
Autopsy personnel face risks from undiagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in deceased individuals. Screening blood samples from bodies for these infections is crucial to prevent occupational transmission.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Autopsies reveal vital information, including potential infectious etiologies of death.
- Infectious agents like HIV, HBV, and HCV can pose occupational risks to autopsy personnel through various transmission routes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV, HBV, and HCV infections in bodies undergoing autopsy.
- To assess the risk of transmission of these viral infections to medical examiners and autopsy room workers.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on blood samples from autopsy cases.
- Samples were screened for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV).
Main Results:
- Out of 228 tested samples, 0.87% were positive for HIV, 2.19% for HBV, and 0.43% for HCV.
- All positive cases were previously undiagnosed, with a higher prevalence observed in young adults with a history of intravenous substance abuse.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights a significant risk of occupational exposure to HIV, HBV, and HCV for autopsy personnel due to undiagnosed infections in deceased individuals.
- Screening of bodies for these viral infections prior to autopsy is recommended to mitigate transmission risks.
