Exposure to infectious materials and evidence contamination

Reduce exposure to infectious materials and risk of contamination of evidence.  Examiners should take precautions during the exam to prevent exposure (to both patients and health care staff) to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials. For example, it is important to follow facility policies on washing hands, handling contaminated needles and other contaminated sharps, wearing protective equipment, and minimizing splashing, spraying, and spattering of these materials. (For more information on this topic, see B.1. Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners.) 
 
With the ever-increasing sensitivity of DNA analysis, there is a greater chance that accidental contamination can be detected. Forensic evidence, which is usually small in volume, can be contaminated and diluted by foreign DNA. Every precaution should be taken by all first responders to reduce outside contamination and dilution of evidence. For example, examiners should wear nonlubricated gloves[1] and change them throughout the exam/evidence collection whenever cross-contamination could occur.[2] Examiners and other responders should seek guidance from their crime labs on procedures to follow to prevent contamination.

[1] Drawn from Connecticut’s Video Training Program, Part 1, The Examination: Sexual Assault Evidence Collection, 1998.  
[2] Follow crime lab policy on whether to include used gloves in the evidence kit.


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