In 1989 blood samples from 2581 fatalities investigated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Hamburg were screened for HIV-1-antibodies. Sera from 13 corpses were confirmed positive for HIV-1 (prevalence rate approx 0.5%).-Viable HIV was found in blood cultures of 4 cadavers stored under non-refrigerated conditions up to 36 hours after death.

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This study concerns lethal subdural hematomas in the autopsy material at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University of Hamburg (n = 102; 0.9% of 11,462 autopsies 1980 to 1988). 63 fatalities were male (mean age 46 years) and 39 were female (mean age 53 years). Subdural hematomas were predominantly located parietotemporal (64%) and had an average volume of 125 ml. Rupture of the bridging veins and contusions of the cerebral cortex were frequent sources of bleeding. In one third of cases the exact topographical site of bleeding was not determined. 90% of the subdural hematomas were of traumatic origin, two thirds had an acute clinical course of less than twelve hours; 23 times neurosurgical intervention took place. With respect to the criminal and civil law it is of decisive significance to explain the causal relationship between subdural hematomas and preceding trauma. Recently there is an increase in blame against physicians in cases where the subdural hematoma (e. g. of inebriated persons) was not diagnosed and treated immediately.

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Prevalence of HIV-I among deaths connected with drug abuse in various West German cities and in West Berlin between 1985 and 1988Summary. The development of the HIV-l-prevalence among drug deaths (n = 753) in several German cities (Westberlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Bremen, Cologne and Stuttgart) from 1985 to 1988 was evaluated; in 1988 43% of 674 deceased drug addicts were examined. The regional prevalence rate was between 15 and 25% ; only in Berlin 42% of the drug deaths were HIV-infected (cumulated data of all cities over the 4-year-period: 26%). There was no uniform or steady regional development of HIV-l-prevalence in the different cities. The ratio men/women among drug deaths was 3:1, The HIV-l-prevalence among males was 22%, among females 40%. HIVinfected individuals were 2-3 years older than seronegatives. Predictions concerning the trend of prevalence rates are not possible up to now. Continuous monitoring of the HIV-status of drug deaths seems to be a worthful