Search

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that is well-known in the palaeopathological record because it can affect the skeleton and consequently leaves readily identifiable macroscopic alterations. Palaeopathological case studies provide invaluable information about the spatio-temporal distribution of TB in the past. This is true for those archaeological periods and geographical regions from when and where no or very few TB cases have been published until now–as in the Sarmatian period (1st–5th centuries CE) in the Barbaricum of the Carpathian Basin. The aim of our paper is to discuss five newly discovered TB cases (HK199, HK201, HK225, HK253, and HK309) from the Sarmatian-period archaeological site of Hódmezővásárhely–Kenyere-ér, Bereczki-tanya (Csongrád-Csanád county, Hungary). Detailed macromorphological evaluation of the skeletons focused on the detection of bony changes likely associated with different forms of TB. In all five cases, the presence of endocranial alterations (especially TB-specific granular impressions) suggests that these individuals suffered from TB meningitis. Furthermore, the skeletal lesions observed in the spine and both hip joints of HK225 indicate that this juvenile also had multifocal osteoarticular TB. Thanks to the discovery of HK199, HK201, HK225, HK253, and HK309, the number of TB cases known from the Sarmatian-period Carpathian Basin doubled, implying that the disease was likely more frequent in the Barbaricum than previously thought. Without the application of granular impressions, the diagnosis of TB could not have been established in these five cases. Thus, the identification of TB in these individuals highlights the importance of diagnostics development, especially the refinement of diagnostic criteria. Based on the above, the systematic macromorphological (re-)evaluation of osteoarchaeological series from the Sarmatian-period Carpathian Basin would be advantageous to provide a more accurate picture of how TB may have impacted the ancestral human communities of the Barbaricum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To give an insight into the different manifestations of leprosy and their biological consequences in the Avar Age of the Hungarian Duna-Tisza Interfluve, two cases from the 7th-century-CE osteoarchaeological series of Kiskundorozsma–Daruhalom-dűlő II (Hungary; n = 94) were investigated. Based on the macromorphology of the bony changes indicative of Hansen's disease, KD271 (a middle-aged male) and KD520 (a middle-aged female) represent the two extremes of leprosy. KD271 appears to have an advanced-stage, long-standing near-lepromatous or lepromatous form of the disease, affecting not only the rhinomaxillary region but also both upper and lower limbs. This has led to severe deformation and disfigurement of the involved anatomical areas of the skeleton, resulting in his inability to perform the basic activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, grasping, standing or walking. The skeleton of KD520 shows no rhinomaxillary lesions and indicates the other extreme of leprosy, a near-tuberculoid or tuberculoid form of the disease. As in KD271, Hansen's disease has resulted in disfigurement and disability of both of the lower limbs of KD520; and thus, the middle-aged female would have experienced difficulties in standing, walking, and conducting occupational physical activities. KD271 and KD520 are amongst the very few published cases with leprosy from the Avar Age of the Hungarian Duna-Tisza Interfluve, and the only examples with detailed macromorphological description and differential diagnoses of the observed leprous bony changes. The cases of these two severely disabled individuals, especially of KD271 –who would have required regular and substantial care from others to survive–imply that in the Avar Age community of Kiskundorozsma–Daruhalom-dűlő II there was a willingness to care for people in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our paper is to demonstrate a middle-aged male (KK61) from the 8th-century-CE cemetery of Kiskundorozsma–Kettőshatár I (Duna-Tisza Interfluve, Hungary), who appears to represent the lepromatous form of Hansen's disease. Leprosy has affected not only the rhinomaxillary region of his face but also his lower limbs, with severe deformation and disfigurement of the involved anatomical areas (saddle-nose and flat-foot deformity, respectively). Consequently, he would have experienced disability in performing the basic activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, standing or walking; and thus, he would have required regular and substantial care from others to survive. Despite his very visible disease and associated debility, it seems that KK61 was accepted as a member of the community in death, since he has been buried within the cemetery boundaries, among others from his community. In addition, his grave has conformed to the mortuary practices characteristic of the Kiskundorozsma–Kettőshatár I cemetery (e.g., burial orientation, position of the body in the grave, and type and quantity of accompanying grave goods). Although distinction or segregation in life do not preclude normative treatment in death, the long-lasting survival of KK61 with Hansen's disease implies that he would not have been abandoned but cared for by others. KK61 is one of the few published historic cases with leprosy from the Avar Age of the Hungarian Duna-Tisza Interfluve. His case gives us a unique insight into the biological consequences of living with Hansen's disease and illustrates the social attitude toward leprosy sufferers in early mediaeval Hungary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perpetual burden of tuberculosis (TB) keeps drawing the focus of research on this disease. Among other risk factors (e.g., poor living conditions, malnutrition, smoking, HIV infection, etc.), being in close contact with a TB infected person requires special attention. For a better understanding of the disease, paleopathological investigations concerning TB have been carried out with various techniques for a long a time; nevertheless, analysis of incidence among family members is hardly possible in past populations. An exceptional group of naturally mummified individuals, the collection of the Vác mummies (Hungary, 18th century CE), is known about the large TB incidence rate, which has been revealed by aDNA analysis. Besides the high rate of TB infection, another interesting aspect of the collection is that in some cases, the family connections could be reconstructed. In this paper, we present the mycocerosic acid profiles gained by HPLC-HESI-MS measurements of two Vác mummies, who were mother and daughter according to the personal records. Earlier metagenomic analysis already revealed mixed M. tuberculosis infection with the same bacterial strains in both individuals; moreover, the same bacterial strains were recorded in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]