Use of polymerase chain reaction for postmortem diagnosis of malaria

Delay or failure in diagnostic or therapeutic management of Plasmodium falc iparum malaria may result in avoidable deaths, often incurring medicolegal procedures. Advanced postmortem autolytic processes and putrefication may t hwart malaria diagnosis by traditional microscopic and histologic examinati ons. The authors describe the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction to co nfirm postmortem diagnosis of malaria.