Autopsy practices for high-consequence infectious diseases: Global guidelines, alternatives, and the BSL-4 gap.

Publication date: May 23, 2026

Autopsies play a critical role in elucidating the pathogenesis of emerging infectious diseases, particularly in cases involving high-consequence pathogens such as viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs). While biosafety concerns have restricted postmortem examinations in such contexts, the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed interest in autopsy-based research and highlighted both the potential and the gaps in current biosafety protocols. This narrative review outlines autopsy practices in the context of high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) with a focus on VHFs, summarizes reported autopsy cases, explores alternative postmortem methods and examines the evolution of legal and institutional frameworks in response to the pandemic. A comparison of official international guidelines shows that while detailed autopsy protocols have been published for pathogens requiring BSL-3 containment – particularly in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) – no official procedural guidance seem to be available for performing autopsies under BSL-4 conditions. Instead, current recommendations at this level are limited to postmortem handling and disposal of the deceased. This regulatory and procedural gap underscores the urgent need for harmonized, high-containment autopsy protocols that balance biosafety with scientific value. Developing such frameworks will be essential to improve outbreak preparedness and enabling evidence-based responses to future pandemics globally. Accordingly, we propose a structured, system-based approach to BSL-4 autopsy practice as a foundation for discussion and future guideline development.

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