To assess the detection of bacteria in postmortem blood cultures and their association with cause of death.
Key Findings:
66% of cases showed bacterial growth; 34% were sterile.
92.4% of positive cultures were monomicrobial.
Most commonly identified organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Positive cultures were found in 93.8% of disease-related deaths and 68.1% of polytrauma cases.
No significant relationship between culture results and postmortem interval or duration of hospital stay.
Interpretation:
Postmortem blood cultures can provide supportive evidence for infection but must be interpreted cautiously alongside autopsy findings and clinical history.
Limitations:
Single-center design.
Relatively small sample size.
Lack of molecular confirmation of bacterial origin.
Incomplete data on premortem antibiotic use.
Conclusion:
Postmortem blood cultures may serve as a complementary tool in forensic and diagnostic pathology, particularly when infection is suspected or cause of death is unclear.
