ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 5

Opiate Analysis in Cadaveric Blowfly Larvae as an Indicator of Narcotic Intoxication
Dico, CL
Assistant toxicologist, toxicologist, and chief medical examiner, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, MD

Introna, F
Fellow in forensic pathology, University of Maryland, MD

Smialek, JE
Assistant toxicologist, toxicologist, and chief medical examiner, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, MD

Caplan, YH
Assistant toxicologist, toxicologist, and chief medical examiner, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, MD

(Received 19 December 1988; accepted 9 February 1989)

Abstract

Specimens of liver were collected from 40 cases in which the cause of death had been determined to be opiate intoxication. Rearings of Calliphora vicina larvae were then promoted on the decomposing liver. A control group of 10 decomposed liver specimens from non-opiate deaths was treated similarly. Analysis of larvae and liver for opiates (morphine) was conducted by radioimmunoassay. Good qualitative and quantitative correlation was observed in both the positive and negative groups. Regression analysis comparing the concentrations of opiates found in the larvae with those found in the liver in the positive group resulted in a correlation of r = 0.790.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, larvae, radioimmunoassay, opiates, liver (decomposed)

Paper ID: JFS12808J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS12808J
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