IDENTIFICATION OF SPERM AND NON-SPERM MALE CELLS IN CERVICOVAGINAL SMEARS USING FLUORESCENCE IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION - APPLICATIONS IN ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

The identification of spermatozoa or constituents of seminal fluid is critical in the evaluation of alleged sexual assault victims. However, failure to identify sperm and/or elevated levels of acid phosphatase can occur for a variety of reasons. Molecular techniques, such as mole cular cytogenetic analysis offers new approaches to improve on the ide ntification of male cells in alleged sexual assault cases. Fluorescenc e in situ hybridization (FISH) with a Y chromosome specific DNA probe was applied to archival cervicovaginal smears from 41 alleged sexual a ssault cases to identify Y-bearing (male) cells. FISH identified Y-bea ring sperm and non-sperm cells in 78% of the cases previously confirme d to have sperm. FISH also identified Y-bearing non-sperm male cells i n 39% of the cases in which cytology did not detect spermatozoa; in on e of these instances, it also detected sperm. Cervicovaginal acid phos phatase levels, determined at the time of the cervicovaginal smears, w ere also compared with the presence or absence of Y-positive cells. Ap plication of this technique can detect non-spermatozoic male cells in routine cervicovaginal smears of sexual assault victims.