The diagnosis of organophosphorus fatal intoxication by the AChE activity in CSF.

A preliminary test for the diagnosis of intoxications with organophosphorous pesticides in fatal cases is described, based on the fact that these compounds inhibit AChE activity. For this purpose we measured AChE activity in CSF in 30 samples from fresh bodies autopsied after traffic accidents and in six after poisoning with organophosphorous insecticides. In order to exclude any other effect on the postmortem inactivation of the enzyme e.g. putrefaction we determined the AChE activity under different conditions. Thus we confirmed that in the reference samples, regardless the conditions, the activity of the enzyme was detectable at least 48 h after death, while in cases of poisoning the detection of AChE was inevitable early after death.