Animal-Related Fatalities-Part I: Characteristic Autopsy Findings and Variable Causes of Death Associated with Blunt and Sharp Trauma

Journal of Forensic Sciences

Volumn 57, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 370-374

  Bury, Danielle ^a   Langlois, Neil ^a,b   Byard, Roger W ^a,b  

^a FORENSIC SCIENCE SA   (Australia)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE   (Australia)

Author keywords

Animal injuries; Autopsy; Bears; Bite; Blunt force; Crush; Dogs; Forensic science; Sharks

Indexed keywords

VENOM;

ANIMAL; ARTICLE; BLUNT TRAUMA; CADAVER; FEEDING BEHAVIOR; FORENSIC PATHOLOGY; HUMAN; OCCUPATION; PATHOLOGY; PENETRATING TRAUMA; TRAFFIC ACCIDENT;

ACCIDENTS, TRAFFIC; ANIMALS; FEEDING BEHAVIOR; FORENSIC PATHOLOGY; HUMANS; OCCUPATIONS; POSTMORTEM CHANGES; VENOMS; WOUNDS, NONPENETRATING; WOUNDS, PENETRATING;

EID: 84857390076     PISSN: 00221198     EISSN: 15564029     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01921.x     Document Type: Article

References (79)

1. Langley RL. Animal-related fatalities in the United States-an update. Wilderness Environ Med 2005;16(2):67-74.
2. Langley RL, Hunter JL. Occupational fatalities due to animal-related events. Wilderness Environ Med 2001;12(3):168-74.
3. Traumatic deaths in Australian agriculture-the facts [database on the Internet]. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety, 2007, (accessed April 19, 2010).
4. Murray LA, Sivaloganathan S. Rambutt-the killer sheep. Med Sci Law 1987;27(2):95-7.
5. Langley RL. Fatal animal attacks in North Carolina over an 18-year period. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1994;15(2):160-7.
6. Bashir MO, Abu-Zidan FM. Motor vehicle collisions with large animals. Saudi Med J 2006;27(8):1116-20.
7. Karkola K, Mottonen M, Raekallio J. Deaths caused by animals in Finland. Med Sci Law 1973;13(2):95-7.
8. Rabl W, Auer M. Unusual death of a farmer. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1992;13(3):238-42.
9. Holland AJ, Roy GT, Goh V, Ross FI, Keneally JP, Cass DT. Horse-related injuries in children. Med J Aust 2001;12:609-12.
10. Whitlock MR. Injuries to riders in the cross country phase of eventing: the importance of protective equipment. Br J Sports Med 1999;33:212-6.
11. Mason JK, Purdue BN. The pathology of trauma. 3rd edn. London, UK: Arnold, 2000.
12. Opeskin K, Lee KA. Death by greyhound. Forensic Sci Int 1992;56(1):51-7.
13. Abu-Zidan FM, Parmar KA, Rao S. Kangaroo-related motor vehicle collisions. J Trauma 2002;53(2):360-3.
14. Tahzib F. Camel injuries. Trop Doct 1984;14:187-8.
15. Harding BE, Wolf BC. Alligator attacks in southwest Florida. J Forensic Sci 2006;51(3):674-7.
16. Byard RW, James RA, Heath KJ. Recovery of human remains after shark attack. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2006;27(3):256-9.
17. Tsokos M, Byard RW, Puschel K. Extensive and mutilating craniofacial trauma involving defleshing and decapitation: unusual features of fatal dog attacks in the young. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2007;28(2):131-6.
18. MacBean CE, Taylor DM, Ashby K. Animal and human bite injuries in Victoria, 1998-2004. Med J Aust 2007;1:38-40.
19. Sacks JJ, Sattin RW, Bonzo SE. Dog bite-related fatalities from 1979 through 1988. JAMA 1989;262(11):1489-92.
20. Blackman JR. Man's best friend? J Am Board Fam Pract 1998;11(2):167-9.
21. Wright JC. Canine aggression toward people. Bite scenarios and prevention. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 1991;21(2):299-314.
22. Shields LB, Bernstein ML, Hunsaker JC III, Stewart DM. Dog bite-related fatalities: a 15-year review of Kentucky medical examiner cases. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2009;30(3):223-30.
23. Clark MA, Sandusky GE, Hawley DA, Pless JE, Fardal PM, Tate LR. Fatal and near-fatal animal bite injuries. J Forensic Sci 1991;36(4):1256-61.
24. De Munnynck K, Van de Voorde W. Forensic approach of fatal dog attacks: a case report and literature review. Int J Legal Med 2002;116(5):295-300.
25. Glass RT, Jordan FB, Andrews EE. Multiple animal bite wounds: a case report. J Forensic Sci 1975;20(2):305-14.
26. Avis SP. Dog pack attack: hunting humans. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1999;20(3):243-6.
27. Wright JC. Severe attacks by dogs: characteristics of the dogs, the victims, and the attack settings. Public Health Rep 1985;100(1):55-61.
28. Kneafsey B, Condon KC. Severe dog-bite injuries, introducing the concept of pack attack: a literature review and seven case reports. Injury 1995;26(1):37-41.
29. Mathews JR, Lattal KA. A behavioral analysis of dog bites to children. J Dev Behav Pediatr 1994;15(1):44-52.
30. Lauridson JR, Myers L. Evaluation of fatal dog bites: the view of the medical examiner and animal behaviorist. J Forensic Sci 1993;38(3):726-31.
31. Calkins CM, Bensard DD, Partrick DA, Karrer FM. Life-threatening dog attacks: a devastating combination of penetrating and blunt injuries. J Pediatr Surg 2001;36(8):1115-7.
32. Erben J, Nádvoník F. The quantitative demonstration of air embolism in certain cases of fatal trauma. J Forensic Med 1963;10:45-50.
33. Hartveit F, Lystad H, Minken A. The pathology of venous air embolism. Brit J Exp Pathol 1968;69:81-6.
34. Johnson HRM. Delayed air embolism. Forensic Sci Int 1973;2:375-7.
35. Jackowski C, Thali M, Sonnenschein M, Aghayev E, Yen K, Dirnhofer R, et al. Visualisation and quantification of air embolism structure by processing postmortem MSCT data. J Forensic Sci 2004;49:1339-42.
36. Langley RL. Human fatalities resulting from dog attacks in the United States, 1979-2005. Wilderness Environ Med 2009;20(1):19-25.
37. Adelson L. Bullet or bite-a contribution to the morphogenesis of gunshot dermal injury. J Forensic Sci 1986;31(4):1479-86.
38. Dire DJ. Cat bite wounds: risk factors for infections. Ann Emerg Med 1991;20:973-9.
39. Talan DA, Citron DM, Abrahamian FM, Morgan GJ, Goldstein EJC. Bacteriologic analysis of infected dog and cat bites. N Engl J Med 1999;340:138-40.
40. Roll P, Rous F. Injuries by chicken bills: characteristic wound morphology. Forensic Sci Int 1991;52(1):25-30.
41. Chapenoire S, Camiade B, Legros M. Basic instinct in a feline. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2001;22(1):46-50.
42. Vogel JS, Parker JR, Jordan FB, Coury TL, Vernino AR. Persian leopard (Panthera pardus) attack in Oklahoma: case report. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2000;21(3):264-9.
43. Cohle SD, Harlan CW, Harlan G. Fatal big cat attacks. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1990;11(3):208-12.
44. Hejna P. A fatal leopard attack. J Forensic Sci 2010;55:832-4.
45. Press TA. Lion kills man who went into Kiev Zoo cage. The Washington Post, 2006, (accessed April 20, 2010).
46. Rollins CE, Spencer DE. A fatality and the American Mountain Lion: bite mark analysis and profile of the offending lion. J Forensic Sci 1995;40:486-9.
47. Beier P. Cougar attacks on human in the United States and Canada. Widl Soc Bull 1991;19:403-12.
48. Kadesky KM, Manarey C, Blair GK, Murphy JJ, Verchere C, Atkinson K. Cougar attacks on children: injury patterns and treatment. J Pediatr Surg 1998;33(6):863-5.
49. Floyd T. Bear-inflicted human injury and fatality. Wilderness Environ Med 1999;10(2):75-87.
50. De Giorgio F, Rainio J, Pascali V, Lalu K. Bear attack-a unique fatality in Finland. Forensic Sci Int 2007;173(1):64-7.
51. Bakkannavar SM, Monteiro FN, Bhagavath P, Pradeep Kumar G. Death by attack from a domestic buffalo. J Forensic Leg Med 2010;17(2):102-4.
52. BBC. Bull gores man to death in Spain, 2009, (accessed April 20, 2010).
53. Manipady S, Menezes RG, Bastia BK. Death by attack from a wild boar. J Clin Forensic Med 2006;13(2):89-91.
54. Prahlow JA, Ross KF, Lene WJW, Kirby DB. Accidental sharp force injury fatalities. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2001;22:358-66.
55. Last PR, Stevens JD. Sharks and rays of Australia. 2nd edn. Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 2009.
56. Morgan M. The microbiology of animal bites. Bul Roy Coll Pathol 2004;128:16-9.
57. Byard RW, Gilbert JD, Brown K. Pathologic features of fatal shark attacks. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2000;21(3):225-9.
58. Ritter EK, Levine M. Bite motivation of sharks reflected by wound structure on humans. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2005;26:136-40.
59. Nambiar P, Brown KA, Bridges TE. Forensic implications of the variation in morphology of marginal serrations on the teeth of the great white shark. J Forensic Odontostomatol 1996;14:2-8.
60. Driscoll TR, Ansari G, Harrison JE, Frommer MS, Ruck EA. Traumatic work related fatalities in commercial fishermen in Australia. Occup Environ Med 1994;51(9):612-6.
61. Rutty GN. Pathological findings of a fatal leopard seal attack. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2007;3:57-60.
62. Meyer PK. Stingray injuries. Wilderness Environ Med 1997;8(1):24-8.
63. Weiss BF, Wolfenden HD. Survivor of a stingray injury to the heart. Med J Aust 2001;175(1):33-4.
64. Fenner PJ, Williamson JA, Skinner RA. Fatal and non-fatal stingray envenomation. Med J Aust 1989;12:621-5.
65. Haddad V, de Souza RA, Auerbach PS. Marine catfish sting causing fatal heart perforation in a fisherman. Wilderness Environ Med 2008;19(2):114-8.
66. Langley RL. Alligator attacks on humans in the United States. Wilderness Environ Med 2005;16(3):119-24.
67. Davis GG. Mind your manners. Part I: history of death certification and manner of death classification. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1997;18:219-23.
68. Liggins JB. Death due to a stingray barb piercing the heart: a New Zealand case from 1939. An unusual bathing fatality. N Z Med J 2006;119(1241):U2164.
69. Byard RW, Tsokos M. Forensic issues in cases of Diogenes syndrome. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2007;28(2):177-81.
70. Goudge ST. Inquiry into pediatric forensic pathology in Ontario: report, 2008, (accessed June 5, 2009).
71. Byard RW, James RA, Gilbert JD. Diagnostic problems associated with cadaveric trauma from animal activity. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2002;23(3):238-44.
72. Rossi ML, Shahrom AW, Chapman RC, Vanezis P. Postmortem injuries by indoor pets. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1994;15(2):105-9.
73. Steadman DW, Worne H. Canine scavenging of human remains in an indoor setting. Forensic Sci Int 2007;173(1):78-82.
74. Romain N, Brandt-Casadevall C, Dimo-Simonin N, Michaud K, Mangin P, Papilloud J. Post-mortem castration by a dog: a case report. Med Sci Law 2002;42(3):269-71.
75. Prahlow JA, Linch CA. A baby, a virus, and a rat. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2000;21(2):127-33.
76. Denic N, Huyer DW, Sinal SH, Lantz PE, Smith CR, Silver MM. Cockroach: the omnivorous scavenger. Potential misinterpretation of postmortem injuries. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1997;18(2):177-80.
77. Ropohl D, Scheithauer R, Pollak S. Postmortem injuries inflicted by domestic golden hamster: morphological aspects and evidence by DNA typing. Forensic Sci Int 1995;72(2):81-90.
78. Asamura H, Takayanagi K, Ota M, Kobayashi K, Fukushima H. Unusual characteristic patterns of postmortem injuries. J Forensic Sci 2004;49(3):592-4.
79. Kiuchi T, Matoba K, Terazawa K. Unusual injuries on the right hand and forearm caused by unidentified wild animals. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2008;10(6):301-5.