Citation

Mebs D, Kettner M. Rechtsmedizin 2016; 26(1): 67-76.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-015-0052-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Numerous marine and terrestrial animals may cause severe, even fatal intoxications in humans, either by injecting venom (spiders, scorpions, insects, snakes) or when used as food (mussels, fish). Although accidental, but also intentional (suicide, murder) envenoming and poisoning by animals play only a minor role in forensic practice, knowledge on the potential and the limitations to identify the toxin or its origin by autopsy and/or toxicological analysis is necessary, when expert opinion is requested. The wide variety of structures and the high toxicity of these natural products are a challenge for the forensic toxicologist. However, anamnesis and information on the circumstances of envenoming or poisoning are essential. This is the second of two articles. The first article deals with poisoning by marine animals. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Language: de

Keywords

Intoxication; human; homicide; Toxicology; Autopsy; autopsy; snake venom; food intake; envenomation; suicide attempt; forensic toxicology; forensic pathology; nonhuman; fatality; toxin analysis; Article; fish; insect; scorpion venom; scorpion; toxin; marine environment; Analytical methods; Poisonous, venomous animals; insect venom; mussel; snake; spider; spider venom; terrestrial species