Death in detention in the Northern part of Tunisia: a 15-year study (2005-2019).

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the pattern of deaths in detention in Northern Tunisia as well as the causes of death.

Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a cross-sectional retrospective study including all the casualties of death in detention examined in the legal medicine Department in the main teaching hospital from 2005 to 2019. The department covers 10 out of the 11 governorates of Northern Tunisia and 13 prisons.

Patterns of unintentional fatal drowning among children in North Tunisia : A 10-year study.

Aims: This study aims to better understand patterns of unintentional fatal drowning among children in North Tunisia.

Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study including all unintentional fatal drowning among children was conducted in the Legal and Forensic Medicine department in the Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, between January 2010 and December 2019. Socio-demographic variables, as well as death circumstances, were documented for each victim and analyzed.

Pattern of homicidal burns in Northern Tunisia: An autopsy-based study over 15 years (2005-2019).

Data about homicidal burns remain scarce. Intentional burns are a challenging situation in the case of an individual found dead in a fire zone with no witness of the fatal act. This study aimed to analyze the victim profiles of homicidal burns in Northern Tunisia.

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.

Deaths among homeless in northern Tunisia: a 10-year study (2005-2014).

Objective: To analyze the victims profile related to death among homeless people.

Study Design: A descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study.

Methods: We included all deaths among homeless people that occurred during a 10-year period (2005-2014) that were autopsied in the Department of Legal Medicine of the Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis.

[Legal redress in relation to physical injury due to post-traumatic anterior pituitary insufficiency].

Post-traumatic anterior pituitary insufficiency (PTAPI) is a rare but established disease caused by ischemic lesions after severe cranial trauma. This case study aims to highlight the criteria for imputability of PTAPI to a cranial trauma as well as the specific principles of legal redress in relation to this disease. We conducted a forensic study of a patient with diagnosed PTAPI followed up in the Division of Endocrinology and Legal Medicine at the University Hospital, Sousse (Tunisia).

First molecular evidence of [i]Borrelia burgdorferi[/i] sensu lato in goats, sheep, cattle and camels in Tunisia.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) are tick-transmitted spirochaetes of veterinary and human importance.

Sudden death due to pulmonary embolism in north Tunisia: 37 cases study.

Aim: To determine frequency of pulmonary embolism as the cause of sudden death and to study clinical, epidemiological characteristics and risk factors.

Methods: Prospective study of cases of sudden death secondary to pulmonary embolism, whose autopsy was performed in the forensic department of Tunis, between October 2009 and of September, 2011.

Results: During study period, 37 cases of pulmonary embolism were recorded.

Sudden death due to hydatid disease: a six-year study in the northern part of Tunisia.

Human ecchinococcosis also known as hydatid disease is a zoonotic infection caused by the tapeworm Ecchinococcus with 2-3 Million cases worldwide. We hereby report a 6 years period study of Sudden death due to hydatidosis aiming to analyze the epidemiological criteria, death circumstances, and autopsy observations attributed to hydatid disease. During the past 6 years, 26 death cases were due to hydatid disease.

[Sudden death during sport activity in Tunisia: autopsy study in 32 cases].

Purpose: To develop profile of the victims and to study circumstances, causes of death and autopsy findings.

Methods: Retrospective study of cases of sudden death in sport activity whose autopsy was performed in forensic department of Tunis, between January 2005 and December 2009.

Results: During study period, 32 cases of SD in sport activity were recorded.

[Four cases of deadly intoxication by Lepiota brunneoincarnata].

We report the case of a collective intoxication by ingestion of a mushroom "Lepiota brunneoincarnata" at the origin of the death of four members of the same family aged between 3 and 15 year old. We discuss the physiopathology and the prognosis factors of such intoxications through these four observations which highlight the clinical signs, biological disturbances due to the intoxication, autopsy and histology findings. The first observation concerns a six year old girl.

A review of acute poisoning from Atractylis gummifera L.

Atractylis gummifera is a poisonous plant widely found in North Africa. The thistle grows commonly in dry areas, and the juice of the rhizome is poisonous. It provokes frequent poisoning, especially of children.

Plant poisonings from herbal medication admitted to a Tunisian toxicologic intensive care unit, 1983-1998.

To collect data on Tunisian herbal toxicity we analysed 56 medical records of patients admitted to the toxicological intensive care unit from 1983 to 1998 following the ingestion of plants. The sex ratio of patients was 1:2, the mean age of patients was 26y (2 to 75y) and II species of plants were involved with Atractylis gummifera (32%), Datura stramonium (25%), Ricinus communis (9%), Nerium oleander (7%) and Peganum harmala (7%) most commonly infested. Poisonings involved neurological (91%), gastrointestinal (73%) and cardiovascular systems (18%).

Post mortem kinetics of secobarbital.

Post-mortem changes in barbiturate concentrations were evidenced using a rat-secobarbital model. The method used for the extraction and HPLC assay of barbiturates is suitable for all biologic fluids and post-mortem tissues. Kinetic data obtained is of excellent quality.