Title |
Human intestinal parasites in the past: new findings and a review
|
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Published in |
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, May 2003
|
DOI | 10.1590/s0074-02762003000900016 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Marcelo Luiz Carvalho Gonçalves, Adauto Araújo, Luiz Fernando Ferreira |
Abstract |
Almost all known human specific parasites have been found in ancient feces. A review of the paleoparasitological helminth and intestinal protozoa findings available in the literature is presented. We also report the new paleoparasitologic findings from the examination performed in samples collected in New and Old World archaeological sites. New finds of ancylostomid, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, Trichostrongylus spp., Diphyllobothrium latum, Hymenolepis nana and Acantocephalan eggs are reported. According to the findings, it is probable that A. lumbricoides was originally a human parasite. Human ancylostomids, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, found in the New World in pre-Columbian times, have not been introduced into the Americas by land via Beringia. These parasites could not supported the cold climate of the region. Nomadic prehistoric humans that have crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Asia to the Americas in the last glaciation, probably during generations, would have lost these parasites, which life cycles need warm temperatures in the soil to be transmitted from host to host. Alternative routes are discussed for human parasite introduction into the Americas. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 4 | 2% |
Brazil | 2 | <1% |
France | 1 | <1% |
Uruguay | 1 | <1% |
Colombia | 1 | <1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | <1% |
Portugal | 1 | <1% |
Denmark | 1 | <1% |
Peru | 1 | <1% |
Other | 0 | 0% |
Unknown | 207 | 94% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 42 | 19% |
Student > Master | 31 | 14% |
Student > Bachelor | 31 | 14% |
Researcher | 22 | 10% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 17 | 8% |
Other | 49 | 22% |
Unknown | 28 | 13% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 74 | 34% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 21 | 10% |
Social Sciences | 19 | 9% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 16 | 7% |
Arts and Humanities | 11 | 5% |
Other | 44 | 20% |
Unknown | 35 | 16% |