ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 4

Detection of Drugs-of-Abuse in Meconium of a Stillborn Baby and in Stool of a Deceased 41-Day-Old Infant
Moriya, F
Associate Professor, Kochi Medical School,

Chan, K-M
Chief of Toxicology Service and Professor of Clinical Pathology; Chief, Autopsy Service and Professor of Forensic Pathology, and Autopsy Pathologist, Los Angeles County and University of South California Medical Centers, CA

Noguchi, TT
Chief of Toxicology Service and Professor of Clinical Pathology; Chief, Autopsy Service and Professor of Forensic Pathology, and Autopsy Pathologist, Los Angeles County and University of South California Medical Centers, CA

Parnassus, WN
Chief of Toxicology Service and Professor of Clinical Pathology; Chief, Autopsy Service and Professor of Forensic Pathology, and Autopsy Pathologist, Los Angeles County and University of South California Medical Centers, CA

(Received 18 January 1994; accepted 24 September 1994)

Abstract

When blood or urine is unavailable, postmortem meconium or stool from infants or stillbirths can be used to detect drugs-of-abuse, thus providing datum in assessing drug-abuse exposure.

Two case reports illustrate how drugs-of-abuse findings in postmortem specimens were used to substantiate exposure prior to death or a history of maternal drug abuse. The first, a congenital hydrocephalus, born to a non-drug abusing mother, expired at the age of 41 days, had opiates in the stool by screening method, enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique, confirmed by gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analysis. Investigation revealed that morphine had been administered for three days prior to death. The second was a stillbirth infant born to a drug abuser. Almost equal amounts of benzoylecgonine were found in different bowel segments, a finding consistent with admitted cocaine use throughout pregnancy.

Keywords:
toxicology, meconium, drugs-of-abuse, cocaine, morphine, enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT), gas chromatography/mass spectrometer

Paper ID: JFS13817J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13817J
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