Successful Use of STR Analyses U Successful Use of STR Analyses Using Iraqi Match Software for Identification of Unknown Completely Burned Bodies Ghinwa S Majed* MSc, Ammirah J Omar* MSc, Eman A Hussain* MSc, Ahmed A Salman* BSc

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: New simple match software program had been used to solve one of the most important gradients cases that facing medical and biological staff in DNA Typing Department of Medical-Legal Directorate (MLD) in Iraq due to explosions which lead to the inability of identification of disfigured badly burned human cadavers. Objective: To focus the light on the importance of DNA Typing in human identification in explosion incidents happened in Iraq and the importance of using simple software program created in MLD /Baghdad to ease and shortening the time of DNA result interpretation stage of analysis.

Methods: Fifteen burned cadavers were the outcome of an explosion happened in Baghdad city in 24/11/2008 in a mini bus related to Iraqi Trade Ministry. All were referred to MLD, 2 of them known to be males and 13 females house officers, 7 of those burned bodies were completely disfigured and hardly to be identified by their families. Morphological, personal belongings examination and DNA finger printing were used to identify severely bad burned cadavers. IT Unit had been asked to create software program to ease the comparison of DNA profiles between missed victims and their alleged families in such case. Then genetic profiles had been loaded to the newly created match software program called Missing DNA Samples Comparison Program.

Results: We could identify all the unrecognizable victims in the Trade Ministry minibus explosion in a very short time with the aid of software program which is simple, easy, fast, read in Arabic language using infinite numbers of genetic profile for effective match between the victims and families’ profiles. All victims had been satisfactory given to their families.

Conclusion: Despite of the shock, sadness, exhaustion and pain of victim’s families, they were highly cooperative and consistence to know the exact cadaver that belonged to them by DNA fingerprinting technique in order to be buried in respectful manner with comfort feeling. In each heavy explosion, it should be mandatory in each forensic casework to withdraw blood reference sample from all victims’ families beside representative sample of bodies to avoid body exchange by ignorant family human mistake. New Missing DNA Samples Comparison Program created in MLD makes matching of DNA profiles much easier and shorter time than manual method.