HIV-infection in forensic autopsy cases

Abstract Sudden and unexpected death and violent death of persons with a high risk of acquiring HIV-infections, especially homosexual males and intravenous drug abusers, have to be investigated by forensic autopsies. Therefore every forensic pathologist has to be aware of this infection and should try to make the proper diagnosis. Three typical cases are described: (1) suicide by hanging, (2) homicide by cutting the throat and (3) intravenous heroin overdose. Merely retro-spectively it could be cleared up that the deceased were homosexual but did not manifestly suffer from AIDS. The morphological findings in the lymph nodes and the postmortem serological findings are described in detail.