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The infection hazards of human cadavers
T D Healing1, P N Hoffman, S E Young
1London Communicable Disease Surveillance Project, PHLS Central Public Health Laboratory.
Abstract:
Cadavers may pose infection hazards to people who handle them. None of the organisms that caused mass death in the past--for example, plague, cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, anthrax, smallpox--is likely to survive long in buried human remains. Items such as mould spores or lead dust are much greater risks to those involved in exhumations. Infectious conditions and pathogens in the recently deceased that present particular risks include tuberculosis, group A streptococcal infection, gastrointestinal organisms, the agents that cause transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), hepatitis B and C viruses, HIV, and possibly meningitis and septicaemia (especially meningococcal). The use of appropriate protective clothing and the observance of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations, will protect all who handle cadavers against infectious hazards.
Insights
Handling cadavers poses infection risks, but historical pathogens are unlikely to survive. Recent deceased individuals may carry risks like tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV, necessitating protective measures.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Infectious Diseases
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Cadavers can present infection hazards to personnel involved in handling.
- While historical mass-death pathogens have limited survival in buried remains, other risks exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify infectious hazards associated with handling cadavers.
- To outline risks from both historical and contemporary pathogens.
- To recommend safety protocols for handling human remains.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and contemporary infectious agents.
- Assessment of pathogen survival in buried human remains.
- Identification of specific high-risk pathogens in recently deceased individuals.
Main Results:
- Historical pathogens (plague, anthrax, smallpox) are unlikely to survive long in buried cadavers.
- Exhumations carry risks from environmental contaminants like mould spores and lead dust.
- High-risk pathogens in recently deceased include tuberculosis, Group A Streptococcus, gastrointestinal organisms, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (e.g., Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), Hepatitis B and C, HIV, and potentially meningitis/septicaemia (e.g., meningococcal).
Conclusions:
- Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial for handlers.
- Adherence to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations mitigates infectious risks.
- Safe handling practices protect personnel from occupational exposure to infectious agents in cadavers.