Epidemiological insights from a large-scale investigation of intestinal helminths in Medieval Europe.
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Animals
Anthelmintics
/ therapeutic use
Ascariasis
/ epidemiology
Ascaris
Child
Child, Preschool
Europe
/ epidemiology
Female
Genetic Variation
Helminthiasis
/ drug therapy
Helminths
/ genetics
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intestines
/ parasitology
Male
Middle Aged
Neglected Diseases
/ epidemiology
Nematoda
Prevalence
Soil
/ parasitology
Toilet Facilities
Trichuriasis
/ epidemiology
Trichuris
Young Adult
Journal
PLoS neglected tropical diseases
ISSN: 1935-2735
Titre abrégé: PLoS Negl Trop Dis
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101291488
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
08 2020
08 2020
Historique:
received:
02
05
2020
accepted:
14
07
2020
entrez:
28
8
2020
pubmed:
28
8
2020
medline:
22
9
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
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.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32853225
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008600
pii: PNTD-D-20-00748
pmc: PMC7451528
doi:
Substances chimiques
Anthelmintics
0
Soil
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e0008600Subventions
Organisme : Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
ID : BB/K004468/1
Pays : United Kingdom
Organisme : Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
ID : BB/K001388/1
Pays : United Kingdom
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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