Department of Molecular Genetics, Specialist Medical Laboratory, Forensic Serology Division, DNA Fingerprint Department, University of Baghdad, Medical Legal Directorate, Ministry of Health and Environment, Baghdad, Iraq
Research Article
Study Prozone Phenomenon in Sexual Assault Evidence
Author(s): Ahmed Kadhim Mohammed*
Globally, the incidence of sexual assault cases, especially rape is increasing, sexual aggression is a serious social and public health issue that requires an urgent forensic medical examination. The ability to detect seminal fluid is vital in forensic cases involving sexual assaults and Sodomy crimes. Prostate specific antigen (PSA, also known as P30) is a glycoprotein produced by the prostatic gland and secreted into seminal plasma, is now accepted as a marker for detecting semen in criminal cases where detecting of sperms is of challenge such as in vasectomized or azoospermia males. It is important to note that when the PSA concentration is too high it may overwhelm this very sensitive test. The prozone or high-dose hook effect phenomenon, documented to cause false-negative assay results still remains a problem in one-step chromatographic sandwich immunoassay,immunoturbidimetric as.. View More»
