title: Diphyllobothrium: Neolithic parasite?
abstract: During paleoparasitological analyses on several Neolithic sites in Switzerland (Arbon-Bleiche 3) and southwestern Germany (Hornstaad-Hörnle I, Torwiesen II, and Seekirch-Stockwiesen), numerous eggs of Diphyllobothrium sp. were recovered. This is one of the earliest occurrences of this parasite during the prehistoric period in the Old World. The prevalence of this helminth in the samples studied raises the question as to how important parasitic diseases were during the Neolithic period and what their actual consequences were.
authors.affiliation: Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, EA 3798, UFR de Pharmacie, Laboratoire de Paléoparasitologie, CNRS UMR 5197, 51, rue Cognacq-Jay, 51096 Reims, France. matthieu.lebailly@univ-reims.fr
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Bailly
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Leuzinger
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schlichtherle
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouchet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004169:Diphyllobothriasis / Q000266:history* / Q000469:parasitology; D004170:Diphyllobothrium / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000469:parasitology; D005858:Germany; D049690:History, Ancient; D010063:Ovum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013557:Switzerland