Forensic Science International
Volume 158, Issue 2 , Pages 131-134, 10 May 2006

Immunohistochemical detection of hemoglobin in frost erythema

Dedicated to Professor W. Janssen on the occasion of his 80th birthday

  • E.E. Türk

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, Butenfeld 34, 22529 Hamburg, Germany
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +49 404 28037810; fax: +49 404 28033934.
    • ,
  • J.P. Sperhake

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, Butenfeld 34, 22529 Hamburg, Germany
    • ,
  • B. Madea

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Bonn, Germany
    • ,
  • J. Preuß

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Bonn, Germany
    • ,
  • M. Tsokos

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, Butenfeld 34, 22529 Hamburg, Germany

Received 1 February 2005; received in revised form 13 April 2005; accepted 10 May 2005. published online 18 July 2005.

Abstract 

Reddish discoloration of exposed skin areas, called frost erythema, is an important criterion for the diagnosis of fatal hypothermia. In the present study, we used immunohistochemistry in a prospective trial to show that on the molecular level, the correlate of frost erythema is hemoglobin without hemorrhage. Furthermore, we compared routine histological and immunohistochemical features of frost erythema, hematoma and livor mortis and established some criteria for their histological differentiation.

Keywords: Hypothermia, Frost erythema, Immunohytochemistry, Hemoglobin, Forensic histopathology

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PII: S0379-0738(05)00302-6

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.05.029

Forensic Science International
Volume 158, Issue 2 , Pages 131-134, 10 May 2006

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