A probabilistic approach to evaluate salivary microbiome in forensic science when the Defense says: `It is my twin brother'

S Bozza; V Scherz; G Greub; F Taroni

doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102638

A probabilistic approach to evaluate salivary microbiome in forensic science when the Defense says: `It is my twin brother'

Forensic Sci Int Genet. 2022 Mar:57:102638. doi: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102638. Epub 2021 Nov 27.

Authors

S Bozza¹, V Scherz², G Greub², F Taroni³

Affiliations

¹ Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Department of Economics, 30121 Venice, Italy; Lausanne University Hospital, Institute of Microbiology, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: silvia.bozza@unive.it.
² University of Lausanne, School of Criminal Justice, 1015 Lausanne-Dorigny, Switzerland.
³ Lausanne University Hospital, Institute of Microbiology, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.

PMID: 34896973
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102638

Abstract

Salivary microbiota profiles may represent a valid contribution to forensic investigation when standard DNA genotyping methods fail. Starting from questioned and control materials in the form of saliva, the evidence can be expressed by means of a distance between those materials taking into account specific aspects of the microbiota composition. The value of the evidence for forensic discrimination purposes is quantified by means of a Bayes' factor, that allows one to overcome the major limitations and pitfalls of intuition connected to the use of cut-off values as a mean of decision.

Keywords: Bayes’ factor; Cut-off; Discrimination; Evaluation of evidence; Monozygotic twins; Salivary microbiome; Similarity score.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bayes Theorem
Forensic Medicine
Humans
Male
Microbiota* / genetics
Saliva
Siblings*