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Researchers Test Soil From 17 Burial Sites; Say Roman and Medieval Periods Faced Worst Wave of Parasitic Worm Infections

Researchers focussed on burial sites dating from prehistoric to early Victorian periods, for their study.
PUBLISHED 7 DAYS AGO
Human skulls with bones on display (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Rachel Claire)
Human skulls with bones on display (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Rachel Claire)

In 2022, archaeologists analyzed several ancient burial sites in Britain. The objective of the examination was to search for evidence of ancient parasitic intestinal worm infestations, stated Courthouse News Service. The results gave experts an idea about how different populations fared with these infestations and the possible means that were employed to bring the infestations under control. Findings regarding the examinations have been published in PLOS One.

Old Ruin in a Museum (Representative Image Source: Pexels/Photo by Talha Aytan)
Old ruin in a museum (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Talha Aytan)

For decades, archaeologists have detected eggs from parasitic worm infestations in archaeological deposits at places where such parasites are no longer endemic, implying they have completely disappeared from these regions. One of those areas is the United Kingdom. These eggs are mostly found in human intestines. Researchers focussed on burial sites dating from prehistoric to early Victorian periods, for their study. 

The team took soil samples associated with the abdominal region of 464 individual skeletal remains collected from 17 burial sites. They found several parasitic eggs in these samples. Two sites reflected that no parasitic intestinal worm infestations took place in those regions during the industrial period. Examinations on a third site in London though showcased that a high level of infestation was prevalent in the city even amidst the industrial period. This implies that some areas in the country did not face the infestation while other spots did.

Prevalence rates of helminths through time (Image Source: PLOSOne)
Prevalence rates of helminths through time (Image Source: PLOSOne)

At the London site, experts noted eggs belonging to two worm species (roundworms and whipworms) that typically enter the human body through fecal matter. Archaeologists also found eggs from tapeworms, which usually came the way of humans due to eating contaminated or undercooked food at the site. Eggs from roundworms and whipworms were in larger numbers in the sample. Such findings made researchers speculate that the difference in infestation between the various areas could be because of the distinct qualities of sanitation facilities and hygiene practices. All of these changes possibly happened during the Victorian-era "sanitary revolution," as per experts.

The examination further found that people living in the country during the Roman and Late Medieval periods faced the worst wave of worm infections. The rate of the infestation seems to be similar to what affected regions in the present time, where the parasites are still endemic, are facing. Experts think authorities of the time had to bring in improvements to the sewage and water treatment system of the country, to reduce the infestation. One measure they observed was the reduced use of night soil for fertilization. Researchers also claim that sanitation reforms brought in between 1831 and 1866 to deal with cholera outbreaks also helped in alleviating the situation.



 

Researchers believe these results will help poor countries facing a similar infestation and also allow other experts more insights into how humans ate and lived in the past. "Defining the patterns of infection with intestinal worms can help us to understand the health, diet, and habits of past populations. More than that, defining the factors that led to changes in infection levels (without modern drugs) can provide support for approaches to control these infections in modern populations," co-lead authors, Hannah Ryan and Patrik Flammer said.

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