Patterns of Unnatural Deaths Among Children and Adolescents: Autopsy Study (2011-2018).

Background And Aims: The problem of unnatural death in children is still relevant because of their vulnerability. This work aimed to describe the epidemiological profile and patterns of these medicolegal deaths in children and adolescents in northern Tunisia.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study from January 2011 to December 2018, within the Forensic Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis.

Sudden death due to a massive hydatid pulmonary embolism secondary to a cardiac cyst rupture.

Cardiac echinococcosis is rare, and its clinical evolution is slow and asymptomatic until complications occur such as sudden death. Although more frequent in endemic countries, hydatid disease should be known by forensic specialists with regard to the migration flows of people from zones with high endemicity and who are likely to die from infection. We report an autopsy case of a 33-year-old male without any medical history who presented to the emergency room with shortness of breath, chest tightness, tingling all over the body and faintness without fever.

Contribution of dual-energy computed tomography in the differentiation of illicit drugs.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to compare the dual-energy behaviour of the main illicit substances as well as their cutting agents in order to be able to differentiate them.

Material And Methods: Cocaine, heroin, MDMA, and cannabis as well as 3 adulterants, 2 diluents, and water were scanned at 90 kV and then at 140 kV on a single X-ray tube computed tomography (CT) scanner. The data acquired enabled a mapping of the attenuation values to 90 and 140 kVp as well as a resulting dual-energy index (DEI) mapping.

Trends of infanticides in northern Tunisia: A 40 years study (1977-2016).

Background: The Tunisian Penal Code defines infanticide as the murder committed by the mother on her child at birth or immediately after. There is a dearth of studies and official statistics on infanticide in the Arab region and North Africa.

Objective: to analyze the infanticide trends in northern Tunisia between 1977 and 2016.