Paleoparasitological remains revealed by seven historic contexts from "Place d'Armes", Namur, Belgium.

International audienceHuman occupation for several centuries was recorded in the archaeological layers of "Place d'Armes", Namur, Belgium. Preventive archaeological excavations were carried out between 1996/1997 and seven historical strata were observed, from Gallo-Roman period up to Modern Times. Soil samples from cesspools, latrines, and structures-like were studied and revealed intestinal parasite eggs in the different archaeological contexts. Ascaris lumbricoides, A. suum, Trichuris trichiura, T. suis. Taenia sp., Fasciola hepatica, Diphyllobothrium sp., Capillaria sp. and Oxyuris equi eggs were found. Paleoparasitology confirmed the use of structures as latrines or cesspit as firstly supposed by the archaeologists. Medieval latrines were not only used for rejection of human excrements. The finding of Ascaris sp. and Trichuris sp. eggs may point to human's or wild swine's feces. Gallo-Roman people used to eat wild boar. Therefore, both A. suum and T. suis, or A. lumbricoides and T. trichuris, may be present, considering a swine carcass recovered into a cesspit. Careful sediment analysis may reveal its origin, although parasites of domestic animals can be found together with those of human's. Taenia sp. eggs identified in latrine samples indicate ingestion of uncooked beef with cysticercoid larvae. F. hepatica eggs suggest the ingestion of raw contaminated vegetables and Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs indicate contaminated fresh-water fish consumption. Ascaris sp. and Trichuris sp. eggs indicate fecal-oral infection by human and/or animal excrements

Paleoparasitological investigations in funerary contexts along the nile

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Paleoparasitological investigations in funerary contexts along the nile

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La population de Shillourokambos

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Paleoparasitology in the Middle-East: State of the research and potential.

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Biologie de la population humaine

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New finding of Giardia intestinalis (Eukaryote, Metamonad) in Old World archaeological site using immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

In this study, nine organic sediment samples from a medieval archaeological site at Pineuilh, France, were examined for Giardia intestinalis using two commercially available immunological kits [enzyme-linked immuno sorbent and immunofluorescence (IFA) assays]. Both techniques detected G. intestinalis in one sample, dated to 1,000 Anno Domini. This is the first time IFA was successfully used to detect protozoa in Old World archaeological samples. Such immunological techniques offer important perspectives concerning ancient protozoa detection and identification

Premières données parasitologiques sur les populations humaines précéramiques chypriotes (VIIIe et VIIe millénaires av. J.-C.)

Abstract : A study of twelve sediment samples from eleven burials in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic sites of Shillourokambos and Khirokitia (8th and 7th millennia ВС), has allowed us to make a preliminary inventory of metazoan parasites of the digestive tract of prehistoric Cypriots. The samples, collected from the area of the hip bone, were treated according to physicochemical and micrometric extraction protocols for parasites. The fossil parasite eggs that we identified indicate four helminthiases. They are divided into two groups : parasitoses related to food (tœniasis and fascioliasis) and those directly connected to the way of life and the environment (ascariasis and tri- churiasis). These results provide a useful paleoepidemiologic supplement to the osteological data and reflect the dietary habits of the inhabitants of these two Pre-Pottery settlements. Our study has also revealed a hitherto unreported presence o/Ascaris in the Neolithic. The results of our paleoparasitological analyses could also be used to ascertain the age-at-death of a subject who died in the perinatal period.Résumé : L 'étude de douze échantillons de sédiment prélevés dans onze sépultures, sur les sites néolithiques précéramiques de Shillou- rokambos et Khirokitia (VIIIe et VIIe mill. av. J.-C. cal), a permis de dresser un premier inventaire des parasites métazoaires du tube digestif des populations préhistoriques chypriotes. Les prélèvements, effectués à la hauteur des os coxaux, ont été traités suivant un protocole d'extraction physico-chimique et micrométrique des formes parasitaires. Grâce aux œufs de parasites fossiles retrouvés, quatre helminthiases ont été identifiées. Elles se répartissent en deux groupes : les parasitoses alimentaires (téniasis, distomatose) et celles en liaison directe avec le mode de vie et l'environnement (ascaridiose, trichocéphalose). Ces résultats complètent utilement les données de l'ostéo-archéologie, du point de vue paléo-épidémiologique, et apportent des informations nouvelles sur les habitudes alimentaires des populations précéramiques. En outre, ce travail a conduit à la découverte d'œufs d 'Ascaris néolithiques alors que ce parasite était, jusqu'à présent, inconnu pour cette période. Enfin, les résultats des analyses paléoparasitologiques ont pu être utilisées pour préciser l'âge au décès d'un sujet mort en période périnatale.Harter-Lailheugue Stéphanie, Le Mort Françoise, Vigne Jean-Denis, Guilaine Jean, Le Brun Alain, Bouchet Françoise. Premières données parasitologiques sur les populations humaines précéramiques chypriotes (VIIIe et VIIe millénaires av. J.-C.). In: Paléorient, 2005, vol. 31, n°2. pp. 43-54