title: Scanning electron microscope study of ancient parasite eggs recovered from Korean mummies of the Joseon Dynasty.
abstract: We have previously shown that parasite eggs have been identified in the coprolites of Korean mummies. These eggs have shed light on parasitic infection patterns in Korean populations living several hundred years ago. We conducted a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study on ancient Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Metagonimus yokogawai, Paragonimus westermani, and Gymnophalloides seoi eggs recovered from Korean mummies of the Joseon Dynasty. We anticipated that the taphonomic conditions of mummification would alter the eggs of certain species but not of others. Our SEM data show that each species of ancient egg exhibited different degrees of preservation. Thus, some of them, for example, M. yokogawai, exhibited a better preservation status than others, suggesting that they should be the first candidates considered when choosing subjects for future paleoparasitological studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Dankook University College of Medicine San 29, Anseo-Dong, Chonan 330-714, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Do-Seon
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Ki-Ju
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chang Seok
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Myeung Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Sun
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seok Bae
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Gi Dae
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Bok
authors.forename: Jong Yil
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006578:Heterophyidae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009106:Mummies / Q000469:parasitology*; D009348:Nematoda / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010063:Ovum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D048492:Paragonimus westermani / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D014200:Trematoda / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014258:Trichuris / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure