Postmortem soft tissue damage caused by mice: a case report

Postmortem injuries inflicted by small rodents such as house and field mice are a significant aspect of forensic medical examination. However, systematic data on this subject remains scarce. Available publications primarily focus on injuries caused by rats, whereas those inflicted by mice receive less attention. This article presents a case illustrating the specific features of soft tissue damage resulting from mouse activity. A man’s body was discovered in a wooden house in a village, bearing a neck injury. A forensic examination revealed a soft tissue defect on the right lateral surface of the neck, along with signs of its postmortem origin from small rodent teeth (house and field mice). Establishing the postmortem origin of the soft tissue defect caused by small rodent teeth, as well as an intact external jugular vein at the base of the defect, helped to rule out the possibility that the injury was inflicted by a sharp object. Mice have a less developed masticatory apparatus than rats; as a result, the damage they inflict mostly affects soft tissues. They prefer to gnaw on stiffened tissues (e.g., during the winter months when tissues become more rigid), and this damage has distinct morphological characteristics. Moreover, mouse activity can significantly alter the appearance of antemortem injuries. The presence of animal tissues, hairs, and feces within the damaged area provides additional evidence of rodent activity and necessitates further analysis.