Prostate Specific Antigen Test Kit as a New Innovation in Forensic Investigation for the Detection of Semen in Suspected Evidences in The Kingdom of Thailand
Keywords:
Prostate specific antigen (PSA), PSA test kit, ELISA for PSA, Acid phosphatase, Sperm, Rape, Sexual assault, Medicolegal case, Forensic investigationAbstract
Introduction: Recently, routine forensic investigations of suspected evidences in rape cases are microscopic identification of the spermatozoa and acid phosphatase test foe detection of the seminal fluid.
Objective: Our article aimed to study the application of prostate specific antigen (PSA) test kit (PSA immunochromatographic assay) as a new method for the detection of semen in focus on the accuracy of test compared with the routinely used method, acid phosphatase test by using the sperm test as a gold standard method.
Methods: Five hundred vaginal swab and stain specimens from health care centers in Thailand submitted to Department of Pathology. Ramathibodi hospital were selected to this study. PSA immunochromatographic assay test and acid phosphatase test were performed in all specimens with compared to sperm test as a reference gold standard method. Statistical analysis was done to analyze the results.
Results: Our study results were correlated with many previous international studies that the PSA method has more accuracy than the acid phosphatase method in all parameters of test, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value with statistical significance (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: We had confirmed that the PSA test kit would be an interesting innovation for forensic investigation, in sexual assault cases in The Kingdom of Thailand and all over the world.
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