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Forensic Disciplines and Methods

Forensic Serology

Pathology and Biology

The detection, identification, classification and study of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, saliva and urine and their relationship to a crime scene, historically centered on blood typing and now often a preliminary step before DNA profiling. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
What It ExaminesSourced to the subject's own account
Bodily fluids recovered from a crime scene, principally blood, semen, saliva and urine. 1
Formalized Year
1901 1
Sourced to the subject's own accountDates to Karl Landsteiner's 1901 discovery of the ABO blood group system; Landsteiner noted the forensic potential of the finding in the same paper, and by 1902 had presented a method for typing dried bloodstains to the Vienna Institute of Forensic Medicine.
Known LimitationSourced to the subject's own account
Urine detection has only presumptive tests, because the material the tests target also appears in other bodily fluids, producing a substantial rate of false positives and inaccurate results. 1
Discipline
Discipline (category)Sourced to the subject's own account
Pathology / Biology (incl. DNA) 1
Connections

Associated With

Forensic serology historically preceded DNA profiling and now commonly serves as its preliminary screening step.

Source Wikipedia: Forensic Serology

Examines Within

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Forensic Serology
  • Opening definition
    Detection, identification, classification, and study of various bodily fluids such as blood, semen, saliva, and urine, and their relationship to a crime scene.
  • Urine Detection section
    There are only presumptive tests for urine detection because the tests used target material that can be found in other bodily fluids. This can cause a lot of false positives and inaccurate results.
  • In Group: Biological Evidence and DNA, Lead sentence
    Forensic serology is the detection, identification, classification, and study of various bodily fluids such as blood, semen, saliva, and urine, and their relationship to a crime scene.
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