Health hazard free mortuary - a formidable task for the Indian hospitals

Authors

  • B R Sharma M.B.B.S., M.D. Reader, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College Hospital, 1156 – B, Sector – 32 B, Chandigarh – 160030.
  • D Harish M.B.B.S., M.D. Sr. Lecturer, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh - 160030
  • Manisha Gupta M.B.B.S., M.D. Demonstrator, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh - 160030
  • Virendar Pal Singh M.B.B.S., M.D. Demonstrator, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh - 160030
  • Krishan Vij M.B.B.S., M.D. Prof. & Head Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh - 160030

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/

Keywords:

approximately, unnatural deaths

Abstract

Medicolegal autopsy is a compulsory requirement in all the unnatural deaths as well as deaths under suspicious circumstances but the prevailing conditions in majority of the mortuaries are a potential health hazard for those working there. An autopsy may subject the doctor (autopsy surgeon) and other staff involved, to a wide variety of infectious agents such as HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, etc. Other health hazards include toxicity resulting from chemicals like formalin, phosphine gas and organophosphates, etc. Proper assessment, personal protective equipment, appropriate autopsy procedures and infrastructural modifications can substantially reduce these risks.  

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Hill RB. College of American Pathologists Conference XXIX on restructuring autopsy practice for health care reform. Summary. Arch. Pathol. Lab Med. 1996; 120: 778-81.

2. Hanzlick R. Case of the month: institutional autopsy rates. Ann. Int. Med. 1998; 158: 1171-2. 3. Sharma BR, Harish D, Sharma V, Vij K. Kitchen Accidents Vis-a-vis Dowry Deaths. Burns 2002; 28 (3): 250-253.

4. Sharma BR, Harish D, Sharma V, Vij K. Poisoning in Northern India – Changing Trends, Causes and Prevention Thereof. Med. Sci. Law. 2002; 42 (3): 251-257.

5. Sharma BR, Sharma V, Harish D, Vij K. Suicides in Northern India – causes, Methods used and Prevention thereof. Med. Sci. Law 2003; 43 (3): 221 - 229.

6. Gordon W Rosa, Robert N Hockett. The microbiologic evaluation and enumeration of post-mortem specimens from human remains. Encyclopedia of Mortuary Practice(Springfield, Ohio), Jan453: 1829-32.

7. Hawkey PM, Pedler SJ, Southall PJ. Streptococcus pyogenes: a forgotten occupational hazard in the mortuary. B M J 1980; 281: 1058.

8. Goette DK, Jacobson KW, Dotty RD. Primary inoculation tuberculosis of the skin (prosectors paronychia). Arch. Dermatol. 1978; 114: 567-9.

9. Johnson MD, Schaffner W, Atkinson J, Pierce MA. Autopsy risk and acquisition of human immuno deficiency virus infection: a case report and re- appraisal. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 1997; 121: 64-6.

10. Collins CH, Kennedy DA. Microbiological hazards of occupational needle stick and ” sharps” injuries. J. Appl. Bacteriol. 1987; 62: 385-402.

11. Shapiro CN. Occupational risk of infection with hepatitis C virus. Surg.Clin. North Amr. 1995; 75: 1047-56.

12. Little D. Ferris JAJ. Determination of human immunodeficiency virus antibody status in forensic autopsy cases in Vancouver using a recombinant immunoblast assay. J. For. Sci. 1990; 35: 1029-34.

13. Sadler DW, Pounder DJ. Urquhart FED, Porter-Boveri M. Prevalence of HIV antibody in Forensic cases. B MJ. 1992; 304: 1027-8.

14. Grist NR, Emslie JA. Association of Clinical Pathologist's surveys of infection in British Clinical Laboratories, 1970-1989.

15. West DJ. The risk of hepatitis B infection among health workers in the United States: a review. Am. J. Med. Sci. 1984; 287: 26-33.

16. Butts JD. Forensic Pathology automatically Exposure Prone. N C .Med Jour. 1995; 55: 210.

17. Hutchins KD, Williams AW, Natrajan GA. Neck needle foreign bodies: an added risk for autopsy pathologists. Arch. Path.Lab.Med. 2001; 125: 790-2.

18. Weston J, Locker G. Frequency of glove puncture in the postmortem room. J. Clin Pathol. 1992; 45: 177-8.

19. Li L, Zhang X, Constantine NT, Smialek JE. Sero prevalence of parent rally transmitted viruses( HIV-1, HBV, HCV and HTLV-I/II) in forensic autopsy cases. J Forensic. Sci. 1993; 38: 1075-83.

20. Zaki SR, Shieh WJ, Greer PW, et al. A novel immuno histo chemical assay for detection of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. J Infect. Dis. 1999; 179(suppl): S 36-47.

21. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for preventing the transmission of M. tuberculosis in health-care

facilities. Morb. Mortal. Week. Rep. 1994; 43.

22. Green FHY, Yoshida K. Characteristics of aerosols generated during autopsy procedures and their potential role as carriers of infectious agents. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 1990; 5: 853-8.

23. Templeton GL, Illing LA, Young L, Cave D, Stead WW, Bates JH. The risk of transmission of M. tuberculosis at the bedside and the autopsy. Ann. I NT. Med. 1995; 122: 922-5.

24. Kantor HS, Poblete R, Pusateri SL. Nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis from unsuspected disease. Am. J. Med. 1988; 84: 833-7.

25. Edkin GP. Active tuberculosis unrecognized until necropsy. Lancet. 1978; 1: 650-2.

26. Ussery XT, Bierman JA, Valway SE, Seitz TA, Di Fernando GTJr, Ostroff SM. Transmission of multi-drug resistant M.tuberculosis among persons exposed in a medical examiner's office, New York. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 1995; 16: 160- 5.

27. Sterling TR, Pope DS, Bishai WR, Harrington S, Gershon RR, Chaisson RE. Transmission of M. tuberculosis from a cadaver to an embalmer. N. Engl. J. Med. 2000; 342: 246-8.

28. Montanaro A. Formaldehyde in the work place and in the home: exploring its clinical toxicology. Lab. Med. 1996; 27: 752-8. 29. Occupational Safety and Health Administration U DoL. 29 CFR 1910. 1048,Formaldehyde. OSHA website.

30. Sterling TD, Weinkan JJ. Reanalysis of lung cancer in a National Cancer Institute study on mortality among industrial workers exposed to formaldehyde. J Occup. Med. 1988; 30: 895-901.

31. Andrews JM, Sweeny ES, Grey TC, Wetzel T. The biohazard potential of cyanide poisoning during postmortem examination. J Forensic Sci 1989; 34: 1280-4.

32. Baselt RC. Cyanide. In Baselt RC, ed. Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man. Foster City, CA: Chemical Toxicology Institute, 2000: 221-5.

33. Baselt RC. Phosphine. In Baselt RC, ed. Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man. Foster City, CA: Chemical Toxicology Institute, 2000: 707-8.

34. Clifford NJ, Nies AS. Organophosphate poisoning from wearing a laundered uniform previously contaminated with parathion. JAMA 1989; 262: 3035-6.

1

35. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC recommendations for civilian communities living near weapons depots: guidelines for medical preparedness. CDC web site.

36. Simpkins H, Fink LM, Prasad K. Radioisotopes in tissues of patients studied at autopsy. N Eng J Med 1977; 296: 456.

37. Precautions in the management of patients who have received therapeutic amounts of radio nucleotides. Washington DC: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. NCRP Web site.

38. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Health. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. CDC Web site.

39. Garner JS. Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Guideline for isolation precautions in hospitals: Part-I. Evolution of isolation practices. Am J Infect Control 1996; 24: 24-52.

40. Pippen DJ Verderame RA, Weber KK. Efficacy of facemasks in preventing inhalation of airborne contaminants. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1987; 45: 319-23.

41. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for prevention of transmission of M. tuberculosis in health- care facilities. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1994; 43: 1-132.

42. NCCLS. Protection of laboratory workers from instrument biohazards and infectious diseases transmitted by blood, body fluids, and tissue; approved guidelines. NCCLS Web site

43. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for prevention of transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B virus to health- care and public-care workers. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1989; 38 (Suppl S-6): 1-37.

Published

2004-01-30

How to Cite

Health hazard free mortuary - a formidable task for the Indian hospitals . (2004). Indian Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 1(3&4), 6–13. https://doi.org/10.48165/