Presence of Diatoms in Kidney from Non-Drowning Cases: An Autopsy-Based Study

Abstract

On various occasions, diatoms have come to the rescue of Forensic pathologists who were at a loss for clues about the cause of death in  corpses recovered from the water. Studies have shown the presence of diatoms in organs of non-drowning deaths as well. The study was to  identify the presence of diatoms in kidney tissues of persons who died due to causes other than drowning. Autopsy of 75 non-drowning  cases were performed, and tissue from one of the kidneys were collected. The sample comprised 62 males (82.7%) and 13 females  (17.3%). Variables such as age, sex, diet preference, and source of drinking water were collected. The kidney was subjected to acid  digestion, and the presence and the type of diatoms in it was recorded. Diatoms were found in the kidney in 42 cases (56%); among this,  there were 39 cases (92.8%) containing pennates and three cases (7.2%) containing centrales. There was no statistically significant  relationship between the presence and absence of diatoms and the sex, age, dietary habits, or drinking water source. One significant  observation was that the pennates were significantly larger than the centrales (p 0.023). The mere presence of diatoms in the kidney cannot  be taken as evidence of drowning.