Post-Mortem Microbiology: Retrospective Analysis of Infections Caused by Enterococcus Strains

Post-mortem microbiological tests are one of the basic methods for diagnosing the etiology of infections in forensic pathology. One of the major groups of microorganisms abundant in various parts of the human body during life and after death is Enterococcus spp. Depending on the area of the body involved and the patient’s condition, enterococci can be considered to be a microbiome, transient flora or a pathogen responsible for infection. The data used for the analysis were 12 medico-legal autopsy and microbiological reports. Enterococcus spp. was isolated in 10 out of 12 cultures of blood samples collected post-mortem. The abdominal origin of enterococci in the blood was detected in 8 cases. The non-abdominal origin of enterococci in the blood was associated with a skin and soft tissue infection, purulent pneumonia and infective endocarditis. These results suggest that enterococci may be considered a cause of severe infections and with high likelihood. Microbiological cultures are a valuable source of information for helping to confirm the cause of infection. Interpretation of the results of post-mortem examinations must be carried out on the basis of data collected before and after death with the participation of specialists from various fields.