The contribution of DNA to the disaster victim identification (DVI) effort

D Hartman; O Drummer; C Eckhoff; J W Scheffer; P Stringer

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.09.024

The contribution of DNA to the disaster victim identification (DVI) effort

Forensic Sci Int. 2011 Feb 25;205(1-3):52-8. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.09.024. Epub 2010 Nov 23.

Authors

D Hartman¹, O Drummer, C Eckhoff, J W Scheffer, P Stringer

Affiliation

¹ Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and The Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 57-83 Kavanagh St, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia. dadnah@vifm.org

PMID: 21106312
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.09.024

Abstract

As part of the disaster victim identification (DVI) response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires disaster, a number of scientific disciplines contributed to the human identification process--forensic pathology, anthropology and odontology, as well as fingerprinting and DNA profiling. The DNA laboratory received 182 post-mortem (PM) samples from 120 DVI cases and 236 reference samples corresponding to 163 missing persons (and two non-DVI cases). DNA analysis yielded full DNA profiles for 102 DVI cases and 190 ante-mortem (AM) samples (relating to all 163 missing persons), respectively. Subsequent comparison of DNA profiles, through direct and kinship matching, resulted in the submission of 76 DNA reports to the DVI Reconciliation Centre which assisted in the identification of 67 deceased. This paper describes the contribution of DNA analysis towards the DVI response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires disaster.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia
Blood
Bone and Bones / chemistry
Burns / pathology
DNA / isolation & purification
DNA Fingerprinting / methods*
Disasters*
Fires*
Forensic Medicine / organization & administration
Humans
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

DNA