A large number of dead bodies are referred to forensic autopsy halls for medicolegal examination. They can be a source of\ntransmission of infectious diseases through direct contact or autopsy tools. The main aim of this study was to estimate the virus\ninfection rates in the dead bodies. One thousand consecutive dead bodies that had been referred to autopsy hall of LegalMedicine\nBureau of Tehran, Iran, during 2016,were included.The blood sampleswere analyzed in the laboratory for detection of HBsAg, HBs\nAb, HIV Ab, and HCV Ab, after providing informed consent from legal next of kin of the dead bodies. The general characteristics\nof the dead bodies were also collected by a checklist. Forty-seven cases of HIV seropositivity, 80 cases of HBs Ag seropositivity,\nand 97 cases for HCV Ab seropositivity were found. Among them, 27 cases of HIV, 40 cases of anti-HBC positive, and 94 cases\nof RIBA testing positive for HCV were proved through confirmatory tests. In other words, 2.6% of the dead bodies were infected\nwith HIV, 3.8% with HBV, and 9% with HCV.The total infection rate was 15.5%. This is a worrying risk for pathologist and autopsy\ntechnicians.
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