Parasitism is composed by three subsystems: the parasite, the host, and the environment. There ar... more Parasitism is composed by three subsystems: the parasite, the host, and the environment. There are no organisms that cannot be parasitized. The relationship between a parasite and its host species most of the time do not result in damage or disease to the host. However, in a parasitic disease the presence of a given parasite is always necessary, at least in a given moment of the infection. Some parasite species that infect humans were inherited from pre-hominids, and were shared with other phylogenetically close host species, but other parasite species were acquired from the environment as humans evolved. Human migration spread inherited parasites throughout the globe. To recover and trace the origin and evolution of infectious diseases, paleoparasitology was created. Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites in ancient material, which provided new information on the evolution, paleoepidemiology, ecology and phylogenetics of infectious diseases.
ABSTRACT We present the results of a multiyear survey of the fleas from ctenomyid rodents across ... more ABSTRACT We present the results of a multiyear survey of the fleas from ctenomyid rodents across many different habitats from throughout Bolivia. New species records for Bolivia include Tiamastus palpalis and Ectinorus (Panallius) galeanus. New records of fleas from Ctenomys in Bolivia include Gephyropsylla klagesi, Sphinctopsylla inca, and Tetrapsyllus tristis.
We present here Old and New World parasitism evidence in ancient times.Most common helminths infe... more We present here Old and New World parasitism evidence in ancient times.Most common helminths infected New World inhabitants prior to the European conquest.Paleoepidemiological transitions occurred in the Old and New World in different ways.Pathoecology provides unique frameworks for understanding disease transmission in ancient populations. Analyses of Old and New World archaeological samples contribute empirically to our understanding of parasite infections. Combining archaeological and anthropological data, we gain insights about health, disease, and the way ancient people lived and interacted with each other and with their environments. Here we present Old and New World parasite evidence, emphasizing how such information reflects the different ways ancient populations exploited diverse environments and became infected with zoonotic parasites. It is clear that the most common intestinal helminths (worm endoparasites) were already infecting ancient inhabitants of the New World prior to the European conquest, although not so intensely as in ancient Europe. The first paleoepidemiological transition from hunting–gathering to agriculture did not change the zoonotic infection pattern of people in the Americas. However, the same transition in Europe resulted in increased zoonotic parasitism with parasites from domestic animals. Therefore, there is a demonstrable difference in the impact of the first paleoepidemiologic transition in the Americas compared to Europe.
Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These re... more Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These remains yielded evidence of geohelminth parasitism and lent themselves to an analysis of differential parasite egg preservation demonstrating the effects of taphonomic factors on archaeoparasitological evidence. Using standard coprolite analysis techniques, parasite egg concentrations were quantified for each burial. Coprolites from the individual in Burial 122 were abnormally large and abundant, indicating an intestinal blockage. Additionally, this individual hosted an extremely high number parasites; evinced by the calculated parasite egg concentrations for all Burial 122 coprolites (Trichurus trichiura = 1,577,679 eggs per coprolite [epc]; Ascaris lumbricoides = 202,350 epc). Statistical analyses revealed a positive and significant correlation between A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura egg presence (eggs per gram [epg]: r2 = 0.583; epc: r2 = 0.71). All Student's t-tests showed significant differences in the mean number of parasite eggs found in burials that were covered versus uncovered. Taking extreme parasitism into consideration, the possible causes of the intestinal blockage are discussed.
Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These re... more Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These remains yielded evidence of geohelminth parasitism and lent themselves to an analysis of differential parasite egg preservation demonstrating the effects of taphonomic factors on archaeoparasitological evidence. Using standard coprolite analysis techniques, parasite egg concentrations were quantified for each burial. Coprolites from the individual in Burial 122 were abnormally large and abundant, indicating an intestinal blockage. Additionally, this individual hosted an extremely high number parasites; evinced by the calculated parasite egg concentrations for all Burial 122 coprolites (Trichurus trichiura = 1,577,679 eggs per coprolite [epc]; Ascaris lumbricoides = 202,350 epc). Statistical analyses revealed a positive and significant correlation between A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura egg presence (eggs per gram [epg]: r2 = 0.583; epc: r2 = 0.71). All Student's t-tests showed significant differences in the mean number of parasite eggs found in burials that were covered versus uncovered. Taking extreme parasitism into consideration, the possible causes of the intestinal blockage are discussed.
Parasitism is composed by three subsystems: the parasite, the host, and the environment. There ar... more Parasitism is composed by three subsystems: the parasite, the host, and the environment. There are no organisms that cannot be parasitized. The relationship between a parasite and its host species most of the time do not result in damage or disease to the host. However, in a parasitic disease the presence of a given parasite is always necessary, at least in a given moment of the infection. Some parasite species that infect humans were inherited from pre-hominids, and were shared with other phylogenetically close host species, but other parasite species were acquired from the environment as humans evolved. Human migration spread inherited parasites throughout the globe. To recover and trace the origin and evolution of infectious diseases, paleoparasitology was created. Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites in ancient material, which provided new information on the evolution, paleoepidemiology, ecology and phylogenetics of infectious diseases.
ABSTRACT We present the results of a multiyear survey of the fleas from ctenomyid rodents across ... more ABSTRACT We present the results of a multiyear survey of the fleas from ctenomyid rodents across many different habitats from throughout Bolivia. New species records for Bolivia include Tiamastus palpalis and Ectinorus (Panallius) galeanus. New records of fleas from Ctenomys in Bolivia include Gephyropsylla klagesi, Sphinctopsylla inca, and Tetrapsyllus tristis.
We present here Old and New World parasitism evidence in ancient times.Most common helminths infe... more We present here Old and New World parasitism evidence in ancient times.Most common helminths infected New World inhabitants prior to the European conquest.Paleoepidemiological transitions occurred in the Old and New World in different ways.Pathoecology provides unique frameworks for understanding disease transmission in ancient populations. Analyses of Old and New World archaeological samples contribute empirically to our understanding of parasite infections. Combining archaeological and anthropological data, we gain insights about health, disease, and the way ancient people lived and interacted with each other and with their environments. Here we present Old and New World parasite evidence, emphasizing how such information reflects the different ways ancient populations exploited diverse environments and became infected with zoonotic parasites. It is clear that the most common intestinal helminths (worm endoparasites) were already infecting ancient inhabitants of the New World prior to the European conquest, although not so intensely as in ancient Europe. The first paleoepidemiological transition from hunting–gathering to agriculture did not change the zoonotic infection pattern of people in the Americas. However, the same transition in Europe resulted in increased zoonotic parasitism with parasites from domestic animals. Therefore, there is a demonstrable difference in the impact of the first paleoepidemiologic transition in the Americas compared to Europe.
Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These re... more Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These remains yielded evidence of geohelminth parasitism and lent themselves to an analysis of differential parasite egg preservation demonstrating the effects of taphonomic factors on archaeoparasitological evidence. Using standard coprolite analysis techniques, parasite egg concentrations were quantified for each burial. Coprolites from the individual in Burial 122 were abnormally large and abundant, indicating an intestinal blockage. Additionally, this individual hosted an extremely high number parasites; evinced by the calculated parasite egg concentrations for all Burial 122 coprolites (Trichurus trichiura = 1,577,679 eggs per coprolite [epc]; Ascaris lumbricoides = 202,350 epc). Statistical analyses revealed a positive and significant correlation between A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura egg presence (eggs per gram [epg]: r2 = 0.583; epc: r2 = 0.71). All Student's t-tests showed significant differences in the mean number of parasite eggs found in burials that were covered versus uncovered. Taking extreme parasitism into consideration, the possible causes of the intestinal blockage are discussed.
Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These re... more Coprolites were recovered from three burials near the Grand Place of Nivelles, Belgium. These remains yielded evidence of geohelminth parasitism and lent themselves to an analysis of differential parasite egg preservation demonstrating the effects of taphonomic factors on archaeoparasitological evidence. Using standard coprolite analysis techniques, parasite egg concentrations were quantified for each burial. Coprolites from the individual in Burial 122 were abnormally large and abundant, indicating an intestinal blockage. Additionally, this individual hosted an extremely high number parasites; evinced by the calculated parasite egg concentrations for all Burial 122 coprolites (Trichurus trichiura = 1,577,679 eggs per coprolite [epc]; Ascaris lumbricoides = 202,350 epc). Statistical analyses revealed a positive and significant correlation between A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura egg presence (eggs per gram [epg]: r2 = 0.583; epc: r2 = 0.71). All Student's t-tests showed significant differences in the mean number of parasite eggs found in burials that were covered versus uncovered. Taking extreme parasitism into consideration, the possible causes of the intestinal blockage are discussed.
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