Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41267120›Full record

ArticleMicrobiome2025

Microbial and seminal traces of sexual intercourse and forensic implications.

Sarah Ahannach, Thies Gehrmann, Irina Spacova, Stijn Wittouck, Jana Hiers, Peter A Bron, Leonore Vander Donck, Maryse Cromphout, Meghna Swayambhu, Natasha Arora and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Microbiome, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. The female intimate microbiome space.npj women's health · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Sarah AhannachLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. sarah.ahannach@uantwerpen.be.
Thies GehrmannLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Irina SpacovaLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Stijn WittouckLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Jana HiersLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Peter A BronLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Leonore Vander DonckLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Maryse CromphoutLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Meghna SwayambhuDepartment of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Natasha AroraDepartment of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Larissa SchuhDepartment of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Iris TournoyLaboratory of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Inge SmeersLaboratory of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Joke WuestenbergsDepartment of Forensic Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Bram BekaertLaboratory of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Ronny DecorteLaboratory of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Els JehaesForensic DNA Laboratory, Department of Forensic Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.
Sarah LebeerLaboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. sarah.lebeer@uantwerpen.be.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe increasing numbers of sexual violence and unresolved rape cases require alternative approaches with higher evidential value to complement existing forensic tools. Predicting recent intercourse is crucial in forensic casework on sexual assaults. In this work, we assessed whether sexual intercourse can be predicted based on the vaginal microbiome and compared it to the gold standard method of semen detection.

resultsUsing a prediction model based on microbiome of 3043 women, intercourse was predicted with 71% accuracy in a balanced cross-validation machine learning setting. This prediction model was validated in a longitudinal intervention study and tested on forensic sexual assault cases. The developed predictor could accurately establish intercourse in 82% of the studied cases. Yet, underwear was found to hold an even greater evidential value and replace the more invasive vaginal sampling for semen detection in some cases with an accuracy of 95%. This was substantiated through a retrospective analysis of 207 forensic sexual assault cases.

conclusionsTaken together, this study revealed that the vaginal microbiome is better at predicting recent sexual intercourse, while the victim's underwear has a clear value as additional biological trace evidence for semen detection. These findings are particularly useful in cases with delayed reporting and are obtained with less invasive sampling. Video Abstract.

Indexed as

CoitusMicrobiotaSemenVaginaAdultFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMachine LearningMaleRapeRetrospective StudiesSex OffensesYoung AdultBiological trace evidenceMicrobial forensicsPredictive modelingSemenSexual assaultSexual intercourseUnderwear microbiomeVaginal microbiome

Identifiers

PMID41267120
PMCPMC12632010

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.