Forenzička mikrobiologija

master's thesis

• Title (english): Forensic microbiology
• Author: Iva Bušić
• Mentor: Ana Budimir (mentor)
• Committee member: Zrinka Bošnjak (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Branka Bedenić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ana Budimir (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2022-07-15, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Medical Microbiology

Abstract

Forenzička mikrobiologija spada u novije grane forenzike, a bavi se utvrđivanjem mikroorganizama i njihovih toksina, te povezivanjem istih s određenom osobom ili skupinom u kazneno-pravnim slučajevima. To su prvenstveno biološki zločini i bioterorizam, ali i mnogi drugi slučajevi, poput seksualnog napada, liječničke pogreške ili nehotičnog širenja zaraze. Uslijed pojave sve preciznijih metoda analize mikroorganizama, forenzička mikrobiologija u suvremenom smislu počinje djelovati od 1990-ih godina. Svijest o važnosti ovog područja podiže se nakon bioterorističkog napada sporama bakterije Bacillus anthracis u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama. Forenzička mikrobiologija ima velik značaj u postmortalnim analizama, primjerice u utvrđivanju uzroka smrti ili utvrđivanju vremena smrti, odnosno postmortalnog intervala (engl. post-mortem interval, PMI) pri obdukciji. Za identifikaciju mikroorganizama, u forenzičkoj mikrobiologiji koriste se iste metode i tehnologije kao i u istraživačkoj i dijagnostičkoj mikrobiologiji. Molekularne tehnike sekvenciranja i genotipizacije, zbog iznimne sposobnosti razlikovanja mikroorganizama na temelju varijacija u njihovom genomu, danas su neophodne. Budući da navedene metode postaju sve dostupnije i preciznije, očekuje se unaprjeđenje područja forenzičke mikrobiologije. Iako javnost često doživljava forenzičku znanost kao nepogrešiv alat za rješavanje kazneno-pravnih slučajeva, valja znati da je forenzička mikrobiologija još uvijek u početnim fazama razvoja i da nailazi na brojna ograničenja. Činjenica je, međutim, da ovo područje ima velik potencijal za daljnji razvoj i primjenu.

Abstract (english)

Forensic microbiology is one of the newer branches of forensics, which deals with the identification of microorganisms and their toxins, and links them to a specific person or group in criminal cases, primarily in biological crimes and bioterrorism. However, it is crucial in many other cases, such as sexual assault, medical error or inadvertent transmission of infectious disease. The emergence of more precise methods of microorganism analysis marked the beginning of modern forensic microbiology in the 1990s. Awareness of the importance of this discipline has been raised after the terrorist attack with the Bacillus anthracis spores in the United States. Forensic microbiology is important in postmortem analyses, for instance in determining the cause of death or time of death (post-mortem interval, PMI) at autopsy. For microorganism identification, the methods and technologies used in forensic microbiology are the same as in research and diagnostic microbiology. Molecular sequencing and genotyping techniques are nowadays a diagnostic standard, due to their exceptional ability to differentiate microorganisms based on genome variations. As these methods become more accessible and accurate, further advances in the field of forensic microbiology are expected. Although the public often perceives forensic science as an infallible tool for resolving legal cases, it should be noted that forensic microbiology is still in the early stages of development and faces a number of limitations. Nevertheless, this field has great potential for further improvement and application.

• Keywords: bioterorizam; forenzika; genotipizacija; mikrobiologija; obdukcija
• Keywords (english): autopsy; bioterrorism; forensics; genotyping; microbiology
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:598530
• Study programme: Title: Medicine; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: doktor/doktorica medicine (doktor/doktorica medicine)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-01-04 10:26:38