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putrefaction

Breaking down of a body of a human or animal post-mortem

EntityQ671701

Also known as putrefying

Subclass of: decomposition

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Putrefaction is the fifth stage of death, following pallor mortis, livor mortis, algor mortis, and rigor mortis. This process references the breaking down of a body of an animal post-mortem. In broad terms, it can be viewed as the decomposition of proteins, and the eventual breakdown of the cohesiveness between tissues, and the liquefaction of most organs. This is caused by the decomposition of organic matter by bacterial or fungal digestion, which causes the release of gases that infiltrate the body's tissues, and leads to the deterioration of the tissues and organs. The approximate time it takes putrefaction to occur is dependent on various factors. Internal factors that affect the rate of putrefaction include the age at which death has occurred, the overall structure and condition of the body, the cause of death, and external injuries arising before or after death. External factors include environmental temperature, moisture and air exposure, clothing, burial factors, and light exposure. Body farms are facilities that study the way various factors affect the putrefaction process.

Overview

All data

13 statements · 46% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Follows: livor mortis
Followed by: decomposition

On other databases

11 identifiers linking putrefaction across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

46%

externally sourced

Source last edited September 30, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). putrefaction (Q671701). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/putrefaction-Q671701