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Cañal V, Barberena R, Urquiza S, Cringoli G, Beltrame MO. Recovering ancient parasites from Andean herbivores: test of the Mini-FLOTAC technique in archaeological samples. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:112. [PMID: 38270709 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08130-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The optimization of techniques for recovering parasitic remains is key in paleoparasitology. The Mini-FLOTAC technique (MF) is based on passive flotation and is used for diagnosis of parasites and was never tested on ancient samples. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of MF in paleoparasitology, aiming at improving the techniques for the recovery of parasitic remains in order to upgrade the interpretative potential of the paleoparasitological evidence. Three techniques were tested: MF, spontaneous sedimentation (SS), and centrifugation-sucrose flotation (CF) testing camelid and goat coprolites. Statistical tests were performed with the R software. Our result displayed that, in the case of SAC samples, MF recovered less number of parasitic species than SS, but obtained a greater number of positive samples for protozoa. For goat samples, MF recovered a higher number of positive samples and parasitic species than SS, added that it was the technique that recovered a greater number of parasite structures. Therefore, results vary according to the zoological origin of the samples and the parasitic species recorded. We suggest starting using MF on ancient samples as a complementary method to those traditionally used in paleoparasitology. It is important to highlight that MF was a simple and faster way. The incorporation of reliable quantitative techniques opens the door to a new way of analyzing archaeological remains, deepening the study of the parasite-host relationships and its evolution through time with an epidemiological approach. Although further studies are needed, our results suggest the complementarity of these techniques in future paleoparasitological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Cañal
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ramiro Barberena
- Centro de Investigación, Innovación y Creación (CIIC-UCT), Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
- Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Básicas (ICB), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Padre Jorge Contreras 1300 (5500), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Silvana Urquiza
- Instituto de Arqueología y Museo, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales E IM, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Giuseppe Cringoli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - María Ornela Beltrame
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Reinhard KJ, Arriaza B, Avery WA, Buikstra J, Camacho M, Goodman E, Obafunwa J, Owen B, Teixeira-Santos I. PALEOEPIDEMIOLOGY OF DIPHYLLOBOTHRIOSIS: CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING ADENOCEPHALUS INTENSITY AND PREVALENCE. J Parasitol 2023; 109:565-573. [PMID: 38018746 DOI: 10.1645/19-115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Peruvian and Chilean mummies and coprolites provide a source of population-based parasitological information. This is especially true of the fish tapeworm, Adenocephalus pacificus. Our analysis of Chinchorro and Chiribaya mummies and diversified coprolite samples from Chile and Peru show variation in infection. There is a statistically significant difference in prevalence between Chinchorro hunter-gatherer and Chiribaya mixed-subsistence contexts. Furthermore, the most pronounced differences occur between populations within these groups. Chinchorro differences in cemeteries at the same location can be related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation variations. Pronounced prevalence variations between 3 Chiribaya villages within 7 km of each other relate to fish distribution and preparation variation. As with other recent archaeoparasitology studies, eggs-per-gram data exhibit overdispersion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl J Reinhard
- Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, W 529 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588
| | - Bernardo Arriaza
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Antofagasta 1520, Arica, Chile 582230334
| | - William Alexander Avery
- Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Freshwater & Marine Sciences, 122 Science Hall, 550 North Park Street, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Jane Buikstra
- School of Evolution and Social Change, Room 233, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287
| | - Morgana Camacho
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Leopoldo Bulhões 1.480-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP: 21040-360
| | - Elizabeth Goodman
- Center for the Recovery and Identification of the Missing at University of Illinois Chicago; 601 S. Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - John Obafunwa
- Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, W 529 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588
| | - Bruce Owen
- Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University, 1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928
| | - Isabel Teixeira-Santos
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Leopoldo Bulhões 1.480-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, CEP: 21040-360
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Reinhard K, Searcey N, Pucu E, Arriaza B, Buikstra J, Owen B. HEAD LOUSE PALEOEPIDEMIOLOGY IN THE OSMORE RIVER VALLEY, SOUTHERN PERU. J Parasitol 2023; 109:450-463. [PMID: 37699596 DOI: 10.1645/23-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies of louse ectoparasites from mummies have developed robust data sets that allow a true epidemiological approach to the prehistory of louse parasitism. One epidemiological principle is that the binomial of overdispersion is normally negative, meaning that in a host population, parasites are aggregated in a few individuals. We demonstrate the overdispersion of lice in 3 different prehistoric communities that differ along 3 axes or variables: environmental setting, socioeconomic status, and cultural affiliation. Distinct cultural practices could have been involved in different patterns of louse infestation. Prevalence, intensity, and abundance of infestations exhibit statistically significant differences between the communities. We also find differences in prevalence between subadults and adults that contrasted by cultural affiliation and suggest conditions different from those seen today. We show that overall prevalence was affected primarily by ecological setting, not socioeconomic status nor cultural affiliation. These findings demonstrate that statistical analysis of archaeological data can reveal the states of infestation in past populations with lifestyles not seen in modern people. Our approach paves the way for future comparisons of subpopulations within archaeological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Reinhard
- Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, W 529 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0514
| | - Nicole Searcey
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Antofagasta, 1520 Arica, Chile
| | - Elisa Pucu
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Professor Hernani Melo 101, São Domingos, Niterói, RJ 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Arriaza
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Antofagasta, 1520 Arica, Chile
| | - Jane Buikstra
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, 900 Cady Mall, Tempe, Arizona 85281
| | - Bruce Owen
- Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University, 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, California 94928
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Barsch E, Kowarik K, Rodler K, Hörweg C, Reschreiter H, Sattmann H, Walochnik J. First molecular data on the human roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides species complex from the Bronze and Iron Age in Hallstatt, Austria. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12055. [PMID: 37491505 PMCID: PMC10368691 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38989-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Palaeoparasitological studies can provide valuable information on the emergence, distribution, and elimination of parasites during a particular time in the past. In the prehistoric salt mines of Hallstatt, located in the Austrian Alps, human faeces have been conserved in salt. The aim of this study was to recover ancient DNA of intestinal parasites from these coprolites. Altogether, 35 coprolites from the Hallstatt salt mines, dating back to the Bronze Age mining phase (1158-1063 BCE) and the Iron Age mining phase (750-662 BCE), respectively, were analysed by microscopy and molecular methods. In 91% of the coprolite samples, eggs of soil-transmitted helminths (STH), namely of Trichuris and/or Ascaris were detected by light microscopy. The Ascaris eggs were exceptionally well preserved. For further analysis, DNA was extracted from the palaeofaecal samples and species-specific primers targeting different genes were designed. While amplification of Trichuris DNA remained unsuccessful, sequence data of A. lumbricoides species complex were successfully obtained from 16 coprolites from three different genes, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1), the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene (cytB) and the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 gene (nadh1). Importantly, these included two Ascaris sequences from a coprolite from the Bronze Age, which to the best of our knowledge are the first molecular data of this genus from this period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Barsch
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kerstin Kowarik
- Prehistoric Department, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Austrian Archaeological Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Rodler
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Hörweg
- 3rd Zoological Department, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans Reschreiter
- Prehistoric Department, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Helmut Sattmann
- 3rd Zoological Department, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Reconstructing the history of helminth prevalence in the UK. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010312. [PMID: 35446843 PMCID: PMC9022885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Intestinal helminth parasites (worms) have afflicted humans throughout history and their eggs are readily detected in archaeological deposits including at locations where intestinal parasites are no longer considered endemic (e.g. the UK). Parasites provide valuable archaeological insights into historical health, sanitation, hygiene, dietary and culinary practices, as well as other factors. Differences in the prevalence of helminths over time may help us understand factors that affected the rate of infection of these parasites in past populations. While communal deposits often contain relatively high numbers of parasite eggs, these cannot be used to calculate prevalence rates, which are a key epidemiological measure of infection. The prevalence of intestinal helminths was investigated through time in England, based on analysis of 464 human burials from 17 sites, dating from the Prehistoric to Industrial periods. Eggs from two faecal-oral transmitted nematodes (Ascaris sp. and Trichuris sp.) and the food-derived cestodes (Taenia spp. and Diphyllobothrium latum syn Dibothriocephalus latus) were identified, although only Ascaris was detected at a high frequency. The changing prevalence of nematode infections can be attributed to changes in effective sanitation or other factors that affect these faecal-oral transmitted parasites and the presence of cestode infections reflect dietary and culinary preferences. These results indicate that the impact of helminth infections on past populations varied over time, and that some locations witnessed a dramatic reduction in parasite prevalence during the industrial era (18th-19th century), whereas other locations continued to experience high prevalence levels. The factors underlying these reductions and the variation in prevalence provide a key historical context for modern anthelmintic programs. Parasitic worms (helminths) cause many health problems in poorer countries, particularly those in tropical and sub-tropical regions. In modern Europe these infections are very rare and mostly found in those travelling from endemic areas but this wasn’t always the case. Archaeological studies have detected eggs of parasitic helminths in numerous European sites. Key questions include how prevalent these infections were in past communities and whether (or when) these patterns changed over time? This paper addresses both of these questions using a large number of single grave samples from archaeological sites in England dating between Prehistoric and Industrial periods. Helminth infections were detected across all periods but the overall prevalence rates changed over time, being highest in the Roman and Late-Medieval periods. The Industrial period was interesting in that two of the three sites contained very few (or no) parasites whereas the third, London, contained high levels of infection. We discuss factors that may have contributed to the changing parasite landscape and how understanding these factors may influence efforts to control helminth infections in modern endemic areas.
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Butala C, Fyfe J, Welburn SC. The Contribution of Community Health Education to Sustainable Control of the Neglected Zoonotic Diseases. Front Public Health 2021; 9:729973. [PMID: 34738003 PMCID: PMC8562424 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.729973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective and sustainable control of the Neglected Zoonoses (NZDs) demands a One Health approach. NZDs largely impact on individuals in low- and middle-income countries, disproportionally affecting resource poor communities with poor access to veterinary and human health services and to clean water and which are intrinsically dependent on animals for their livelihoods. Many NZDs in humans can be treated, but treatment is often complex and expensive. Similarly, while tools for prevention of transmission may exist, they are complex and expensive to adopt at the scale required to be effective. The cost of intervention for NZDs is high when compared to the public health benefits alone, but costs are easily outweighed by full cross sector analysis and when monetary and non-monetary benefits to all stakeholders are considered. Education is a key tool, often overlooked in favor of more complex solutions for the control of NZDs. Successful education programs have been targeted to children of school age for Taenia solium in Kenya, schistosomiasis in Nigeria, and soil transmitted helminths in China. A Snakes and Ladders board game, designed to teach children about schistosomiasis and encourage compliance with mass deworming programs, deployed in Nigerian schools, showed a 67% increase in knowledge of praziquantel and 65% of children who had previously rejected treatment requested the drug at school. For soil transmitted helminths in China, presentation of health information in cartoon format rather than in poster format, showed post-assessment knowledge to be 90% higher. With the rise in affordable smart-phone technology, internet access and airtime in communities in low- and middle- income countries e-education is an increasingly attractive proposition as an intervention tool for the NZDs. The Vicious Worm, a computer based educational health tool that has been designed around the prevention of Taenia Solium has shown remarkable efficacy in affected communities in which it has been deployed with participants applying the principles learned in their communities. This review explores the successes and benefits of education as a control tool for the NZDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Butala
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Infection Medicine, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Jenna Fyfe
- Infection Medicine, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Christina Welburn
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Infection Medicine, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Cascardo P, Pucu E, Leles D. REVIEW OF PARASITES FOUND IN EXTINCT ANIMALS: WHAT CAN BE REVEALED. J Parasitol 2021; 107:275-283. [PMID: 33844838 DOI: 10.1645/20-30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitism is inherent to life and observed in all species. Extinct animals have been studied to understand what they looked like, where and how they lived, what they fed on, and the reasons they became extinct. Paleoparasitology helps to clarify these questions based on the study of the parasites and microorganisms that infected those animals, using as a source material coprolites, fossils in rock, tissue, bone, mummy, and amber, analyses of ancient DNA, immunodiagnosis, and microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Cascardo
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitos, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-210, Brazil
| | - Elisa Pucu
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitos, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-210, Brazil
| | - Daniela Leles
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitos, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-210, Brazil
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Nodari R, Drancourt M, Barbieri R. Paleomicrobiology of the human digestive tract: A review. Microb Pathog 2021; 157:104972. [PMID: 34029658 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The microbiota is a hot topic of research in medical microbiology, boosted by culturomics and metagenomics, with unanticipated knowledge outputs in physiology and pathology. Knowledge of the microbiota in ancient populations may therefore be of prime interest in understanding factors shaping the coevolution of the microbiota and populations. Studies on ancient human microbiomes can help us understand how the community of microorganisms presents in the oral cavity and the gut was shaped during the evolution of our species and what environmental, social or cultural changes may have changed it. This review cumulates and summarizes the discoveries in the field of the ancient human microbiota, focusing on the remains used as samples and techniques used to handle and analyze them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Nodari
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Michel Drancourt
- Aix-Marseille Univ., IRD, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Rémi Barbieri
- Aix-Marseille Univ., IRD, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; UMR 7268, Anthropologie Bioculturelle, Droit, Ethique et Santé, Aix Marseille Univ., 11 CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France.
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Valverde G, Ali V, Durán P, Castedo L, Paz JL, Martínez E. First report in pre-Columbian mummies from Bolivia of Enterobius vermicularis infection and capillariid eggs: A contribution to Paleoparasitology studies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2020; 31:34-37. [PMID: 32932201 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was designed to search for ancient parasites in abdominal content and coprolites from Bolivian mummies. MATERIALS Twelve mummified individuals from the Andean highlands, housed at the National Museum of Archaeology (MUNARQ) in La Paz, Bolivia. METHODS Microscopic analysis of rehydrated samples (coprolites and abdominal content), following Lutz's spontaneous sedimentation technique. RESULTS Eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were identified in coprolites from one mummy, and capillariid eggs in the organic abdominal content from another individual. CONCLUSIONS This is the first evidence of ancient intestinal parasites in Bolivian mummies. SIGNIFICANCE This pioneering study focused on the search of ancient intestinal parasites in human remains of the Bolivian Andes and contributes to greater knowledge of paleoparasitology in South America. LIMITATIONS All mummies in the MUNARQ belonged to the Andean Bolivian highlands (post-Tiwanaku era or Late Intermediate Period), although the exact provenance of the material and the associated contexts are not well recorded. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Considering the great number of well-known archaeological sites and other unexplored sites in Bolivia, in addition to large collections in museums, further paleopathological and paleoparasitological molecular studies in mummies and skeletons are called for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Valverde
- Instituto de Investigación en Salud y Desarrollo (IINSAD), Calle Claudio Sanjinés s/n, Complejo Hospitalario de Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Viterman Ali
- Instituto de Investigación en Salud y Desarrollo (IINSAD), Calle Claudio Sanjinés s/n, Complejo Hospitalario de Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia; Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Av. Saavedra 2246, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Pamela Durán
- Instituto de Investigación en Salud y Desarrollo (IINSAD), Calle Claudio Sanjinés s/n, Complejo Hospitalario de Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia; Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Av. Saavedra 2246, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Luis Castedo
- Museo Nacional de Arqueología (MUNARQ), Unidad de Arqueología y Museos (UDAM), Viceministerio de Interculturalidad, Ministerio de Culturas y Turismo, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Calle Tiahuanacu No. 93, Esq. Federico Suazo, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - José Luis Paz
- Museo Nacional de Arqueología (MUNARQ), Unidad de Arqueología y Museos (UDAM), Viceministerio de Interculturalidad, Ministerio de Culturas y Turismo, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Calle Tiahuanacu No. 93, Esq. Federico Suazo, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Eddy Martínez
- Instituto de Investigación en Salud y Desarrollo (IINSAD), Calle Claudio Sanjinés s/n, Complejo Hospitalario de Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia; Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Av. Saavedra 2246, La Paz, Bolivia.
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Epidemiological insights from a large-scale investigation of intestinal helminths in Medieval Europe. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008600. [PMID: 32853225 PMCID: PMC7451528 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminth infections are among the World Health Organization's top neglected diseases with significant impact in many Less Economically Developed Countries. Despite no longer being endemic in Europe, the widespread presence of helminth eggs in archaeological deposits indicates that helminths represented a considerable burden in past European populations. Prevalence of infection is a key epidemiological feature that would influence the elimination of endemic intestinal helminths, for example, low prevalence rates may have made it easier to eliminate these infections in Europe without the use of modern anthelminthic drugs. To determine historical prevalence rates we analysed 589 grave samples from 7 European sites dated between 680 and 1700 CE, identifying two soil transmitted nematodes (Ascaris spp. and Trichuris trichiura) at all locations, and two food derived cestodes (Diphyllobothrium latum and Taenia spp.) at 4 sites. The rates of nematode infection in the medieval populations (1.5 to 25.6% for T. trichiura; 9.3-42.9% for Ascaris spp.) were comparable to those reported within modern endemically infected populations. There was some evidence of higher levels of nematode infection in younger individuals but not at all sites. The genetic diversity of T. trichiura ITS-1 in single graves was variable but much lower than with communal medieval latrine deposits. The prevalence of food derived cestodes was much lower (1.0-9.9%) than the prevalence of nematodes. Interestingly, sites that contained Taenia spp. eggs also contained D. latum which may reflect local culinary practices. These data demonstrate the importance of helminth infections in Medieval Europe and provide a baseline for studies on the epidemiology of infection in historical and modern contexts. Since the prevalence of medieval STH infections mirror those in modern endemic countries the factors affecting STH decline in Europe may also inform modern intervention campaigns.
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Roche K, Pacciani E, Bianucci R, Le Bailly M. Assessing the Parasitic Burden in a Late Antique Florentine Emergency Burial Site. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2019; 57:587-593. [PMID: 31914509 PMCID: PMC6960238 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.6.587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Excavation (2008–2014) carried out under the Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Italy) led to the discovery of 75 individuals, mostly buried in multiple graves. Based on Roman minted coins, the graves were preliminarily dated between the second half of the 4th and the beginning of the 5th centuries CE. Taphonomy showed that this was an emergency burial site associated with a catastrophic event, possibly an epidemic of unknown etiology with high mortality rates. In this perspective, paleoparasitological investigations were performed on 18 individuals exhumed from 9 multiple graves to assess the burden of gastrointestinal parasitism. Five out of eighteen individuals (27.7%) tested positive for ascarid-type remains; these are considered as “decorticated” Ascaris eggs, which have lost their outer mammillated coat. Roundworms (genus Ascaris) commonly infest human populations under dire sanitary conditions. Archaeological and historical evidence indicates that Florentia suffered a period of economic crisis between the end of 4th and the beginning of the 5th centuries CE, and that the aqueduct was severely damaged at the beginning of the 4th century CE, possibly during the siege of the Goths (406 CE). It is more than plausible that the epidemic, possibly coupled with the disruption of the aqueduct, deeply affected the living conditions of these individuals. A 27.7% frequency suggests that ascariasis was widespread in this population. This investigation exemplifies how paleoparasitological information can be retrieved from the analysis of sediments sampled in cemeteries, thus allowing a better assessment of the varying frequency of parasitic infections among ancient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Roche
- University of Bordeaux Montaigne, CNRS UMR 5607 Ausonius, Maison de l'Archéologie, Domaine universitaire, 8 esplanade des Antilles, 33607 Pessac cedex, France.,University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, CNRS UMR 6249 Chrono-Environment, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon cedex, France
| | - Elsa Pacciani
- Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio of Firenze, Pistoia and Prato, Italy
| | - Raffaella Bianucci
- Legal Medicine Section, Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Turin, C.so Galileo Galilei, 22, 10126 Torino, Italy.,Warwick Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, 4CV 7 AL, United Kingdom.,ADES (UMR 7268), Laboratoire d'Anthropologie bio-culturelle, Droit, Éthique & Santé (Adés), Faculté de Médecine de Marseille, 51 Boulevard Pierre Dramard, France
| | - Matthieu Le Bailly
- University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, CNRS UMR 6249 Chrono-Environment, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon cedex, France
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12
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Zhan X, Yeh HY, Shin DH, Chai JY, Seo M, Mitchell PD. Differential Change in the Prevalence of the Ascaris, Trichuris and Clonorchis infection Among Past East Asian Populations. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2019; 57:601-605. [PMID: 31914511 PMCID: PMC6960239 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.6.601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
As we learn more about parasites in ancient civilizations, data becomes available that can be used to see how infection may change over time. The aim of this study is to assess how common certain intestinal parasites were in China and Korea in the past 2000 years, and make comparisons with prevalence data from the 20th century. This allows us to go on to investigate how and why changes in parasite prevalence may have occurred at different times. Here we show that Chinese liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis) dropped markedly in prevalence in both Korea and China earlier than did roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and whipworm (Trichuris trichiura). We use historical evidence to determine why this was the case, exploring the role of developing sanitation infrastructure, changing use of human feces as crop fertilizer, development of chemical fertilizers, snail control programs, changing dietary preferences, and governmental public health campaigns during the 20th century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoya Zhan
- School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, 48 Nanyang Ave, 639818 Singapore
| | - Hui-Yuan Yeh
- School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, 48 Nanyang Ave, 639818 Singapore
| | - Dong Hoon Shin
- Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080 Korea
| | - Jong-Yil Chai
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080 Korea
- Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Korean Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, 07649 Korea
| | - Min Seo
- Department of Parasitology, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, 31116 Korea
| | - Piers D. Mitchell
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, The Henry Wellcome Building, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1 QH, UK
- Corresponding author ()
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13
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Tett A, Huang KD, Asnicar F, Fehlner-Peach H, Pasolli E, Karcher N, Armanini F, Manghi P, Bonham K, Zolfo M, De Filippis F, Magnabosco C, Bonneau R, Lusingu J, Amuasi J, Reinhard K, Rattei T, Boulund F, Engstrand L, Zink A, Collado MC, Littman DR, Eibach D, Ercolini D, Rota-Stabelli O, Huttenhower C, Maixner F, Segata N. The Prevotella copri Complex Comprises Four Distinct Clades Underrepresented in Westernized Populations. Cell Host Microbe 2019; 26:666-679.e7. [PMID: 31607556 PMCID: PMC6854460 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2019.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Prevotella copri is a common human gut microbe that has been both positively and negatively associated with host health. In a cross-continent meta-analysis exploiting >6,500 metagenomes, we obtained >1,000 genomes and explored the genetic and population structure of P. copri. P. copri encompasses four distinct clades (>10% inter-clade genetic divergence) that we propose constitute the P. copri complex, and all clades were confirmed by isolate sequencing. These clades are nearly ubiquitous and co-present in non-Westernized populations. Genomic analysis showed substantial functional diversity in the complex with notable differences in carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting that multi-generational dietary modifications may be driving reduced prevalence in Westernized populations. Analysis of ancient metagenomes highlighted patterns of P. copri presence consistent with modern non-Westernized populations and a clade delineation time pre-dating human migratory waves out of Africa. These findings reveal that P. copri exhibits a high diversity that is underrepresented in Western-lifestyle populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Tett
- CIBIO Department, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Kun D Huang
- CIBIO Department, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; Department of Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems and Bioresources, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 1 38010 S, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | | | - Hannah Fehlner-Peach
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | | | | | - Paolo Manghi
- CIBIO Department, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Kevin Bonham
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02115, USA; Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy
| | - Moreno Zolfo
- CIBIO Department, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Francesca De Filippis
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy; Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Cara Magnabosco
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Richard Bonneau
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY 10010, USA; Departments of Biology and Computer Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - John Lusingu
- National Institute for Medical Research, Tanga Centre, Tanzania
| | - John Amuasi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
| | - Karl Reinhard
- Hardin Hall, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0987, USA
| | - Thomas Rattei
- CUBE - Division of Computational Systems Biology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Fredrik Boulund
- Centre for Translational Microbiome Research, Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Engstrand
- Institute for Mummy Studies, EURAC Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Albert Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies, EURAC Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Maria Carmen Collado
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Dan R Littman
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Daniel Eibach
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danilo Ercolini
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy; Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Omar Rota-Stabelli
- Department of Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems and Bioresources, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 1 38010 S, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Curtis Huttenhower
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02115, USA; Biostatistics Department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Frank Maixner
- Institute for Mummy Studies, EURAC Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Nicola Segata
- CIBIO Department, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy.
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14
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de Castro Costa A, Solari A, da Silva SFSM, Martin G, Camacho M, Duarte AN, da Rocha Nogueira JM, Gabriel DA, Novo SPC. Ancient Parasite Analysis and Zoonotic Potential of Spirometra sp. in Two Related Sites from Pernambuco, Brazil. J Parasitol 2019. [PMID: 31599696 DOI: 10.1645/19-67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathoecology studies the environmental and cultural factors that contribute to the maintenance of infections or diseases in populations. Concerning parasites, it requires the evaluation of these factors based on the presence and life cycle of these organisms. For this reason, it is possible to apply this concept in the context of ancient populations in order to understand the parasite-host dynamic or even the health consequences faced by the members of the populations. This study aimed to apply the pathoecology concept in Pedra do Tubarão and Cemitério do Caboclo archaeological sites. Six coprolite samples were analyzed and 1 was positive for Spirometra sp. eggs. Spirometra is a cestode that has copepods as the first intermediate host; amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals as the second intermediate hosts; and felines and canines as definitive hosts. Humans can be infected by ingesting the first or second intermediate hosts and can develop sparganosis, which can cause health consequences depending on the location of the spargana. The presence of this parasite, of a water fount near the site, where the first intermediate host can live, and the findings of the bones of some of the second intermediate hosts in these sites, suggesting dietary purposes, indicate that this infection was probably present in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelianna de Castro Costa
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Amilcar Ferreira Sobral (CAFS/UFPI), BR-343, KM 3,5, 64808-605, Meladão, Floriano, PI, Brazil.,Laboratório de Paleoparasitologia Eduardo Marques, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (DCB/ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Avenida Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ana Solari
- Laboratório de Arqueologia Biológica e Forense, Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (LABIFOR/UFPE), Departamento de Arqueologia, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Avenida da Arquitetura s/n, 10° andar, 50740-550, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Francisco Serafim Monteiro da Silva
- Laboratório de Arqueologia Biológica e Forense, Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (LABIFOR/UFPE), Departamento de Arqueologia, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Avenida da Arquitetura s/n, 10° andar, 50740-550, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Martin
- Laboratório de Arqueologia Biológica e Forense, Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (LABIFOR/UFPE), Departamento de Arqueologia, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Avenida da Arquitetura s/n, 10° andar, 50740-550, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Morgana Camacho
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Avenida Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Antonio Nascimento Duarte
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Ambiental, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (DCB/ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Avenida Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Joseli Maria da Rocha Nogueira
- Laboratório de Microbiologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (DCB/ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Avenida Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Davi Almada Gabriel
- Laboratório de Paleoparasitologia Eduardo Marques, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (DCB/ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Avenida Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Shênia Patrícia Corrêa Novo
- Laboratório de Paleoparasitologia Eduardo Marques, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (DCB/ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Avenida Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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15
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Verostick KA, Teixeira-Santos I, Bryant VM, Reinhard KJ. The Skiles Mummy: Care of a debilitated hunter-gatherer evidenced by coprolite studies and stable isotopic analysis of hair. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2019; 25:82-90. [PMID: 30197207 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The Skiles Mummy (SMM), a naturally mummified adult male from the late archaic period of Lower Pecos Canyonlands of South Texas, represents a unique case of care. SMM is an exceptional mummy within this region due to both the retention of a full head of hair, and having a diagnosed case of megacolon, a complication commonly associated with Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Stable isotopic analysis of his hair is consistent with a diet incorporating of C4/CAM plants with some C3 plants, freshwater resources, and higher trophic level animals. However, the segments of hair most proximal to the scalp exhibited elevated δ15N values. Data from previous research indicate starvation and malnutrition can cause δ15N values to rise. The presence of large fecal boluses in the digestive tract suggest peristalsis ceased in the last four to five months of life, and this, together with results from coprolite analysis, indicate he would not have been able to adequately absorb protein and nutrients during this time. His condition would have rendered him immobile. Following Tilley's index of care, someone would have had to bring him food resources, as well as attending to his daily needs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vaughn M Bryant
- Texas A&M University, Department of Anthropology, United States
| | - Karl J Reinhard
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Natural Resources, United States
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16
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Reinhard KJ, Araújo A, Morrow JJ. Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Enterobius vermicularis (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) in the Prehistoric Americas. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2016; 54:591-603. [PMID: 27853116 PMCID: PMC5127543 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2016.54.5.591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Investigations of Enterobius sp. infection in prehistory have produced a body of data that can be used to evaluate the geographic distribution of infection through time in the Americas. Regional variations in prevalence are evident. In North America, 119 pinworm positive samples were found in 1,112 samples from 28 sites with a prevalence of 10.7%. Almost all of the positive samples came from agricultural sites. From Brazil, 0 pinworm positive samples were found in 325 samples from 7 sites. For the Andes region, 22 pinworm positive samples were found in 411 samples from 26 sites for a prevalence of 5.3%. Detailed analyses of these data defined several trends. First, preagricultural sites less frequently show evidence of infection compared to agricultural populations. This is especially clear in the data from North America, but is also evident in the data from South America. Second, there is an apparent relationship between the commonality of pinworms in coprolites and the manner of constructing villages. These analyses show that ancient parasitism has substantial value in documenting the range of human behaviors that influence parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl J Reinhard
- Pathoecology Laboratory, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68583-0962, USA
| | - Adauto Araújo
- Laboratório de Paleoparasitologia, Departamento de Endemias Samuel Pessoa/Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (DENSP/ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21041-210, Brazil
| | - Johnica J Morrow
- Pathoecology Laboratory, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68583-0962, USA
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