Possible influence of the ENSO phenomenon on the pathoecology of diphyllobothriasis and anisakiasis in ancient Chinchorro populations (original) (raw)
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Current clinical data show a clear relationship between the zoonosis rates of Diphyllobothrium pacificum and Anisakis caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO) phenomenon along the Chilean coast. These parasites are endemic to the region and have a specific habitat distribution. D. pacificum prefers the warmer waters in the northern coast, while Anisakis prefers the colder waters of Southern Chile. The ENSO phenomenon causes a drastic inversion in the seawater temperatures in this region, modifying both the cool nutrient-rich seawater and the local ecology. This causes a latitudinal shift in marine parasite distribution and prevalence, as well as drastic environmental changes. The abundance of human mummies and archaeological coastal sites in the Atacama Desert provides an excellent model to test the ENSO impact on antiquity. We review the clinical and archaeological literature debating to what extent these parasites affected the health of the Chinchorros, the earliest settlers of this region. We hypothesise the Chinchorro and their descendants were affected by this natural and cyclical ENSO phenomenon and should therefore present fluctuating rates of D. pacificum and Anisakis infestations.
Diphyllobothriasis of the Chiribaya Culture (700–1476 AD) of Southern Peru
Comparative Parasitology, 2003
Ova of Diphyllobothrium sp. were found in 7 of the 29 coprolites examined from 4 sites within the Chiribaya archaeological zone near Ilo, southern Peru. The Chiribaya represent a pre-Inca civilization of the Middle Horizon (600-1000 A.D.) and the Late Intermediate Period (1000-1476 A.D.). The Chiribaya economy was based on agriculture, animal husbandry, and maritime resources. The apparent commonality of diphyllobothriasis is supportive of the important role that fish played in the diet of the Chiribaya. Free-living coprophagous nematodes were found in 2 of the 29 samples.
Diagnosing Ancient Diphyllobothriasis From Chinchorro Mummies
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 2003
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.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2023
Paleoparasitological studies of human sediment samples from prehistoric times of Argentina are scarce. The objective of the present study is to enhance the knowledge of parasitic infections affecting hunter-gatherer populations inhabiting the Pampean region of Argentina in prehistoric times. A total of 33 samples from 12 inhumation structures of archaeological site Chenque I, the unique cementery studied in Argentina until now from a paleoparasitological point of view, were studied. Chenque I constitute the greater repository of human archaeological remains of La Pampa province. Thirty-one samples came from human burials, and 2 samples from a dog retrieved in a burial, associated with a child. By humans, 11 samples correspond to males, 13 to females, and 7 to undifferentiated individuals. A total of 5 samples corresponds to control samples and were taken under the skull. Paleoparasitological examination revealed that 8 of the 33 sediment samples resulted positive for parasite remains applying the rehydration and spontaneous sedimentation technique with or without addition of HCl (10%). The pre-treatment of samples with HCl as a preliminary step allowed a greater recovery of parasitic remains compared to standard spontaneous sedimentation procedure. The most common parasite species found was Trichuris trichiura being probably one of the parasites that commonly affect human populations inhabiting the region. The low preservation evidenced by the parasite remains recovered indicate a taphonomic interference in the data of parasite assemblages, which probably produce a bias in the recovery of other parasite species that could infect these ancient populations. Proceed in the study of new human samples to improve the knowledge of parasitic infections affecting ancient populations inhabiting the studied region is necessary.
PALEOEPIDEMIOLOGÍA DE PARÁSITOS INTESTINALES Y PIOJOS EN SUDAMÉRICA PRECOLOMBINA
Chungará (Arica …, 2011
Some human parasites originated in prehominid ancestors in Africa. Nematode species, such as Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), hookworms and Trichuris trichiura are shared by humans and other close phylogenetic primates (Pan and Gorilla), showing that they infected a common ancestor to this group. When humans migrated from Africa to other continents they carried these parasites wherever climate conditions allowed parasite transmission from host to host. Other parasites, however, were acquired throughout human biological and social evolutive history when new territories were occupied. Paleoparasitology data is a valuable source to recover emergence and disappearance of parasite infections through analysis of archaeological remains. Parasites can be used as biological markers of prehistoric human migrations. They are also indicators of diet, as parasite life cycles are related to specific kinds of food consumed by human groups in the different habitats they occupied. We review paleoparasitological findings in South America, comparing human-host and intestinal parasites with life conditions and environmental relationships through time.
Nonspecific Infectious Diseases in Prehistoric San Pedro De Atacama, Northern Chile
Chungará (Arica), 2011
EnfErmEdadEs infEcciosas no-EspEcíficas En poBLacionEs prEHisTÓricas dE san pEdro dE aTacama, norTE dE cHiLE pedro José Tótora da-Gloria 1 , Walter alves neves 2 , maria antonietta costa Junqueira 3 , and rafael Bartolomucci 4 The region of San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile, has undergone several cultural and social changes after humans settled in Atacama Desert around 500 BC. The Atacameño people experienced the highest degree of social and cultural changes between 400 and 900 AD when they were assimilated into the Tiwanaku trade and political web that influenced most of the Central-Southern Andes. Under the influence of Tiwanaku, San Pedro de Atacama experienced its greatest economic development. Prior analyses of local human skeletal remains have shown a significant increase in the stature of the local population during the same period. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the Tiwanaku influence on the local epidemiological profile using the incidence of periostitis and osteomyelitis as indicators of biological stress. Surprisingly, the best epidemiological condition occurred during the final phase of influence of Tiwanaku (910-960 AD), and not during the apex influence (480-920 AD), as expected by the archaeological context. We suggest that population growth and aggregation may have counteracted the benefits of improved nutrition during the peak Tiwanaku influence. A severe drought occurred between 1,100 and 1,400 AD in Northern Chile. This could also explain the marked increase of bone infections in the post-Tiwanaku period (920-1,240 AD).
Paleoepidemiology of intestinal parasites
Some human parasites originated in prehominid ancestors in Africa. Nematode species, such as Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), hookworms and Trichuris trichiura are shared by humans and other close phylogenetic primates (Pan and Gorilla), showing that they infected a common ancestor to this group. When humans migrated from Africa to other continents they carried these parasites wherever climate conditions allowed parasite transmission from host to host. Other parasites, however, were acquired throughout human biological and social evolutive history when new territories were occupied. Paleoparasitology data is a valuable source to recover emergence and disappearance of parasite infections through analysis of archaeological remains. Parasites can be used as biological markers of prehistoric human migrations. They are also indicators of diet, as parasite life cycles are related to specific kinds of food consumed by human groups in the different habitats they occupied. We review paleoparasitological findings in South America, comparing human-host and intestinal parasites with life conditions and environmental relationships through time.
Cabrillo, the Chumash, and Old World Diseases
Journal of California and Great Basin …, 1995
Focusing on the Chumash, we examine the potential impacts of Old World epidemic diseases on protohistoric peoples of the southern California coast. Our study indicates that: (1) coastal peoples would have been highly susceptible to Old World disease epidemics; (2) native contacts with several sixteenth and seventeenth century European maritime expeditions were extensive; and (3) Old World diseases also were closing in on protohistoric California from the Southwest, Mexico, and Baja California. There is little clear evidence that Old World diseases devastated California's coastal tribes in the protohistoric period, but archaeologists have invested little energy searching for such evidence. We propose three models of protohistoric disease impacts to be tested with archaeological data, examine some problems in identifying protohistoric archaeological components along the California coast, and outline some archaeological patterns that might be linked to disease epidemics and associated cultural changes.
Paleparasitological INSC Int J Paleop 2013
Most paleoparasitological studies based on archeological sites in the New World are from pre-Columbian times. However, understanding of the introduction and spread of parasites with the arrival of European settlers and African slaves in America remains a topic for investigation. This study evaluated the presence of intestinal parasites in human remains from an archeological site of the colonial period, and compared the sensitivity of three parasitological techniques for paleoparasitological study. Samples were collected from the archeological site Nossa Senhora do Carmo Church, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Paleoparasitological examination revealed intestinal helminths in 2/17 (11.8%) individuals. Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris sp. eggs were found. The spontaneous sedimentation technique showed a greater numerical recovery of parasites, while the flotation techniques were superior in retrieving more parasite types. The study demonstrated that combining the three techniques improves the recovery of parasites in terms of number and diversity. Similar diversity of parasites to that of a previous historical archeological site suggests that the distribution of intestinal parasites was widespread in Rio de Janeiro, regardless of social status.