1. Pathological Changes and Sodium Rhodizonate Test as Tools for Investigating Gunshot Wounds in Veterinary Forensic Pathology.
- Author
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Piegari, Giuseppe, d'Aquino, Ilaria, Salanti, Giovanni Valerio, Romano, Vittoria, Miletti, Gianluca, Sannino, Emanuela, Di Napoli, Evaristo, Riccio, Lorenzo, De Biase, Davide, and Paciello, Orlando
- Subjects
GUNSHOT wounds ,FORENSIC pathology ,PENETRATING wounds ,VETERINARY pathology ,GUNSHOT residues - Abstract
Simple Summary: Gunshot residues (GSR) are particles produced during the discharge of a firearm. The typical composition of GSR is lead, barium, and antimony. The aims of our study were to (1) investigate the gunshot wound morphology and lead residues in animals and (2) correlate the morphology of the gunshot wounds and the distribution of lead residues with the range of fire. To these aims, cadavers with antemortem and experimentally produced post-mortem gunshot wounds were investigated. Morphological analysis was performed on all entry gunshot wounds. Lead residues were evaluated using macroscopic and histological colorimetric tests. Animals that died of firearm-related injuries showed wounds characterized by an abrasion ring associated with signs of tissue vitality. Experimentally shot limbs showed injuries related to the shooting range. Lead was observed on both animals that died from gunshot wounds and experimentally shot limbs. However, the number of positive cases and the pattern of lead distribution varied with the range of fire. Our results suggest that both pathological examination and colorimetric tests represent valid tools for investigating gunshot wounds in veterinary forensic pathology. Gunshot wound morphology and gunshot residues (GSRs) evaluation have been poorly investigated in veterinary forensic pathology. The aims of the present study were to assess the gunshot wound morphology in animals and evaluate the detectability of lead deriving from GSRs using colorimetric techniques. To these aims, cadavers were divided into four different groups. Group A comprised eight animals who died from firearm-related injuries, while groups B and C included dog limbs shot using different shooting ranges; group D comprised dog limbs stabbed with a screwdriver. Morphological analysis was performed on all entry gunshot wounds. Lead residues were investigated using a Bullet Hole Testing Kit (BTK) and Rhodizonate Sodium histochemical staining (NaR-s). Gunshot wounds in group A showed an abrasion ring associated with hemorrhages and tissue necrosis. Groups B and C showed injuries related to the shooting range. NaR-s showed positive results in both animals that died from gunshot wounds and experimentally shot limbs. However, the number of positive cases and the pattern of lead distribution varied with the shooting range. Positive results by BTK were limited to close-contact shots in group B limbs. Our results suggest that both pathological examination and NaR tests represent valid tools for investigating gunshot wounds in veterinary pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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