A seventeenth-centuryMycobacterium tuberculosisgenome supports a Neolithic emergence of theMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex

BACKGROUND: Although tuberculosis accounts for the highest mortality from a bacterial infection on a global scale, questions persist regarding its origin. One hypothesis based on modern Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) genomes suggests their most recent common ancestor followed human migrations out of Africa approximately 70,000 years before present. However, studies using ancient genomes as calibration points have yielded much younger dates of less than 6000 years. Here, we aim to address this discrepancy through the analysis of the highest-coverage and highest-quality ancient MTBC genome available to date, reconstructed from a calcified lung nodule of Bishop Peder Winstrup of Lund (b. 1605-d. 1679). RESULTS: A metagenomic approach for taxonomic classification of whole DNA content permitted the identification of abundant DNA belonging to the human host and the MTBC, with few non-TB bacterial taxa comprising the background. Genomic enrichment enabled the reconstruction of a 141-fold coverage M. tuberculosis genome. In utilizing this high-quality, high-coverage seventeenth-century genome as a calibration point for dating the MTBC, we employed multiple Bayesian tree models, including birth-death models, which allowed us to model pathogen population dynamics and data sampling strategies more realistically than those based on the coalescent. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our metagenomic analysis demonstrate the unique preservation environment calcified nodules provide for DNA. Importantly, we estimate a most recent common ancestor date for the MTBC of between 2190 and 4501 before present and for Lineage 4 of between 929 and 2084 before present using multiple models, confirming a Neolithic emergence for the MTBC

Population genomics of the Viking world.

The maritime expansion of Scandinavian populations during the Viking Age (about AD 750-1050) was a far-flung transformation in world history1,2. Here we sequenced the genomes of 442 humans from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland (to a median depth of about 1×) to understand the global influence of this expansion. We find the Viking period involved gene flow into Scandinavia from the south and east. We observe genetic structure within Scandinavia, with diversity hotspots in the south and restricted gene flow within Scandinavia. We find evidence for a major influx of Danish ancestry into England; a Swedish influx into the Baltic; and Norwegian influx into Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Additionally, we see substantial ancestry from elsewhere in Europe entering Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Our ancient DNA analysis also revealed that a Viking expedition included close family members. By comparing with modern populations, we find that pigmentation-associated loci have undergone strong population differentiation during the past millennium, and trace positively selected loci-including the lactase-persistence allele of LCT and alleles of ANKA that are associated with the immune response-in detail. We conclude that the Viking diaspora was characterized by substantial transregional engagement: distinct populations influenced the genomic makeup of different regions of Europe, and Scandinavia experienced increased contact with the rest of the continent

Health and disease in early Lund, Osteo-pathologic studies of 3,305 individuals buried in the cemetery area of Lund 990-1536

The purpose of this thesis is to characterize the health status of the population in early Lund. This is pursued by an osteological analysis of 3.305 individuals fron three time periods: c. 990-1100, c. 1100-1300 and c. 1300-1536. The individuals derives from cemeteries connected to four neighbouring churches, where one is the sucessor of the other (Trinitatis). One cemetery (Kattesund) is by and large completely excavated. This represents a situation not common to other excavations of Medieval cemeteries in Scandinavia. The following osteological parameters were studied: age, sex, stature, oral health, joint diseases, infections and trauma. The age distribution is more or less the same between the time periods. There is a tendency of a higher proportion of children found during the later periods. There is no significan difference with respect to stature between time periods. Further, no difference in stature could be substantiated with respect to the position of the graves, a dimension of the material that is known to correlate with socio-economic position of the deceased. Oral health detoriated during the last time period. The frequency of joint diseases, i.e. osteoarthritis did not change over time. Leprosy represents the most common form of specific infection beween 990-1100. At this time there were no separate leprosy hospital in Lund, and the lepers were buried in the periphery of the common cemeteries. Treponematosis could be identified only during the time period 1300-1536, and this in connection with the last buried individuals. Unspecific infections could be found with respect to all time periods. Periostitis was more common among the males during the earliest time period. Osteomyelitis, however, increased over time, being more common among the males. The frequency of traumatic lesions increased over time with regard to the male population of Lund, not the females. As there is no apparent covariation with regard to the osteological parameters, there is no basis for the conclusion that the health changes chronologically. Neither do we substantiate a detoriation nor an improvment from 990 to 1536 with regard to skeletal health. However, the proportion of subadults increases as we approach the later period 100-1536. This result is interpreted as an increased load of infectious diseases

Swedish paleopathology and its pioneers

This chapter discusses the history of paleopathology in Sweden. Paleopathology of skeletal remains in Sweden is considered a subfield of historical osteology, a discipline that combines the study of human and animal bones from archaeological sites, with roots in the works of Nils-Gustaf Gejvall (1911–1991). The chapter describes the development of the field from its beginnings in paleopathological work carried out on a personal interest basis to its establishment as an academic discipline. It identifies three pioneers—Carl Magnus Fürst (1854–1935), Carl-Herman Hjortsjö, and Gejvall—whose contributions are directly linked to the establishment of historical osteology