Helminth infections are among the World Health Organization's top neglected diseases with significant impact in many Less Economically Developed Countries. Despite no longer being endemic in Europe, the widespread presence of helminth eggs in archaeological deposits indicates that helminths represented a considerable burden in past European populations. Prevalence of infection is a key epidemiological feature that would influence the elimination of endemic intestinal helminths, for example, low prevalence rates may have made it easier to eliminate these infections in Europe without the use of modern anthelminthic drugs. To determine historical prevalence rates we analysed 589 grave samples from 7 European sites dated between 680 and 1700 CE, identifying two soil transmitted nematodes (Ascaris spp. and Trichuris trichiura) at all locations, and two food derived cestodes (Diphyllobothrium latum and Taenia spp.) at 4 sites. The rates of nematode infection in the medieval populations (1.5 to 25.6% for T. trichiura; 9.3-42.9% for Ascaris spp.) were comparable to those reported within modern endemically infected populations. There was some evidence of higher levels of nematode infection in younger individuals but not at all sites. The genetic diversity of T. trichiura ITS-1 in single graves was variable but much lower than with communal medieval latrine deposits. The prevalence of food derived cestodes was much lower (1.0-9.9%) than the prevalence of nematodes. Interestingly, sites that contained Taenia spp. eggs also contained D. latum which may reflect local culinary practices. These data demonstrate the importance of helminth infections in Medieval Europe and provide a baseline for studies on the epidemiology of infection in historical and modern contexts. Since the prevalence of medieval STH infections mirror those in modern endemic countries the factors affecting STH decline in Europe may also inform modern intervention campaigns.

• MeSH
• anthelmintika terapeutické užití   MeSH
• Ascaris MeSH
• askarióza epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• cizopasní červi genetika   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• helmintóza farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• hlístice MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• opomíjené nemoci epidemiologie   MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• půda parazitologie   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• střeva parazitologie   MeSH
• toalety MeSH
• trichurióza epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• Trichuris MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Throughout history, humans have been afflicted by parasitic worms, and eggs are readily detected in archaeological deposits. This study integrated parasitological and ancient DNA methods with a large sample set dating between Neolithic and Early Modern periods to explore the utility of molecular archaeoparasitology as a new approach to study the past. Molecular analyses provided unequivocal species-level parasite identification and revealed location-specific epidemiological signatures. Faecal-oral transmitted nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura) were ubiquitous across time and space. By contrast, high numbers of food-associated cestodes (Diphyllobothrium latum and Taenia saginata) were restricted to medieval Lübeck. The presence of these cestodes and changes in their prevalence at approximately 1300 CE indicate substantial alterations in diet or parasite availability. Trichuris trichiura ITS-1 sequences grouped into two clades; one ubiquitous and one restricted to medieval Lübeck and Bristol. The high sequence diversity of T.tITS-1 detected in Lübeck is consistent with its importance as a Hanseatic trading centre. Collectively, these results introduce molecular archaeoparasitology as an artefact-independent source of historical evidence.

• MeSH
• archeologie MeSH
• cizopasní červi klasifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• dějiny 15. století MeSH
• dějiny 16. století MeSH
• dějiny 17. století MeSH
• dějiny starověku MeSH
• dějiny středověku MeSH
• feces parazitologie   MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• kulturní evoluce * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• parazitologie MeSH
• počet parazitárních vajíček MeSH
• starobylá DNA analýza   MeSH
• trichurióza epidemiologie   dějiny   parazitologie   MeSH
• Trichuris genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 15. století MeSH
• dějiny 16. století MeSH
• dějiny 17. století MeSH
• dějiny starověku MeSH
• dějiny středověku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• historické články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Německo MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH