Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies
Diphyllobothrium pacificum has been reported as a human parasite from coprolites and skeletons in Peru and Chile. Our analysis of Chinchorro mummies from Chile provides the oldest evidence of D. pacificum directly associated with human mummies. These mummies date between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. T...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
2003-01-01
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| Series: | Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762003000900028 |
| _version_ | 1797713371313733632 |
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| author | Karl Reinhard Otto Urban |
| author_facet | Karl Reinhard Otto Urban |
| author_sort | Karl Reinhard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Diphyllobothrium pacificum has been reported as a human parasite from coprolites and skeletons in Peru and Chile. Our analysis of Chinchorro mummies from Chile provides the oldest evidence of D. pacificum directly associated with human mummies. These mummies date between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. The basis for our diagnosis is presented. We find that the size of the eggs in the mummies is smaller than other discoveries of D. pacificum. We suggest that this is due to the peculiar circumstances of preservation of parasite eggs within mummies and the release of immature eggs into the intestinal tract as the tapeworms decompose after the death of the host. This information is important to consider when making diagnoses from mummies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:35:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c2048de3160543d9b41d14aaae8aa472 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0074-0276 1678-8060 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:35:30Z |
| publishDate | 2003-01-01 |
| publisher | Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz |
| spelling | doaj.art-c2048de3160543d9b41d14aaae8aa4722023-09-02T21:33:02ZengFundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz0074-02761678-80602003-01-019819119310.1590/S0074-02762003000900028Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummiesKarl ReinhardOtto UrbanDiphyllobothrium pacificum has been reported as a human parasite from coprolites and skeletons in Peru and Chile. Our analysis of Chinchorro mummies from Chile provides the oldest evidence of D. pacificum directly associated with human mummies. These mummies date between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. The basis for our diagnosis is presented. We find that the size of the eggs in the mummies is smaller than other discoveries of D. pacificum. We suggest that this is due to the peculiar circumstances of preservation of parasite eggs within mummies and the release of immature eggs into the intestinal tract as the tapeworms decompose after the death of the host. This information is important to consider when making diagnoses from mummies.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762003000900028Diphyllobothrium pacificumarchaeoparasitologymummy |
| spellingShingle | Karl Reinhard Otto Urban Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Diphyllobothrium pacificum archaeoparasitology mummy |
| title | Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies |
| title_full | Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies |
| title_fullStr | Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies |
| title_short | Diagnosing ancient Diphyllobothriasis from Chinchorro mummies |
| title_sort | diagnosing ancient diphyllobothriasis from chinchorro mummies |
| topic | Diphyllobothrium pacificum archaeoparasitology mummy |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762003000900028 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karlreinhard diagnosingancientdiphyllobothriasisfromchinchorromummies AT ottourban diagnosingancientdiphyllobothriasisfromchinchorromummies |