Determination of the Lewis blood group substances in stains of forensically relevant body fluids

Abstract

Forensic investigations often demand a clear definition of secretor status. Lewis-typing of secretion stains may help to verify non-secretor results and to identify mixtures of secretions from Le (a−b−) persons and secretors (or non-secretors). Furthermore it gives an additional check on secretor status, determined by ABO-grouping. Few problems may arise, when testing prepared saliva or semen stains. Therefore our interest was focussed on the possibility of Lewis-typing in stains appearing in forensic case work such as cigarette tips, stamps and envelope flaps, semen stains and vaginal swabs, nasal secretion, sweat and urine stains. All stains with the exception of sweat and urine were successfully Lewis-typed. In saliva stains Lewis substances could be determined even after 5 years and in semen stains for at least up to 40 days.