1. Microscopic Evidence of Malaria Infection in Visceral Tissue from Medici Family, Italy
- Author
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Frank Maixner, Dennis Drescher, Giulia Boccalini, Dario Piombino-Mascali, Marek Janko, Nicole Berens-Riha, Bum Jin Kim, Michelle Gamble, Jolanthe Schatterny, Rory E. Morty, Melanie Ludwig, Ben Krause-Kyora, Robert Stark, Hyun Joo An, Jens Neumann, Giovanna Cipollini, Rudolf Grimm, Nicole Kilian, and Albert Zink
- Subjects
malaria ,Medici ,Plasmodium falciparum ,immunohistochemistry ,atomic force microscopy ,parasites ,Medicine ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Abstract
Microscopy of mummified visceral tissue from a Medici family member in Italy identified a potential blood vessel containing erythrocytes. Giemsa staining, atomic force microscopy, and immunohistochemistry confirmed Plasmodium falciparum inside those erythrocytes. Our results indicate an ancient Mediterranean presence of P. falciparum, which remains responsible for most malaria deaths in Africa.
- Published
- 2023
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