7000 year-old tuberculosis cases from Hungary - Osteological and biomolecular evidence.
This study derives from the macroscopic analysis of a Late Neolithic population from Hungary. Remains were recovered from a tell settlement at Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa from graves within the settlement as well as pits, ditches, houses and as stray finds. One of the most important discoveries from these remains was evidence of tuberculosis. Pathological analysis of the seventy-one individuals revealed numerous cases of infections and non-specific stress indicators on juveniles and adults, metabolic diseases on juveniles, and evidence of trauma and mechanical changes on adults. Several cases showed potential signs of tuberculosis and further analyses were undertaken, including biomolecular studies. The five individuals were all very young adults and included a striking case of Hypertrophic Pulmonary Osteopathy (HPO) with rib changes, one case with resorptive lesions on the vertebrae, two cases with hypervascularisation on the vertebrae and periosteal remodelling on the ribs, and one case with abnormal blood vessel impressions and a possible lesion on the endocranial surface of the skull. The initial macroscopic diagnosis of these five cases was confirmed by lipid biomarker analyses, and three of them were corroborated by DNA analysis. At present, these 7000-year-old individuals are among the oldest palaeopathological and palaeomicrobiological cases of tuberculosis worldwide.
Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. Electronic address: mmasson@bio.u-szeged.hu.
Muriel
M
Masson
Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. Electronic address: bereczki.zsolt@bio.u-szeged.hu.
Zsolt
Z
Bereczki
Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. Electronic address: balinte@bio.u-szeged.hu.
Erika
E
Molnár
Centre for Clinical Microbiology and Centre for the History of Medicine, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: h.donoghue@ucl.ac.uk.
Helen D
HD
Donoghue
Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: d.e.minnikin@bham.ac.uk.
David E
DE
Minnikin
Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: o.y.lee@bham.ac.uk.
Oona Y-C
OY
Lee
Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: h.wu.2@bham.ac.uk.
Houdini H T
HH
Wu
Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: g.besra@bham.ac.uk.
Gurdyal S
GS
Besra
Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. Electronic address: ian.d.bull@bristol.ac.uk.
Ian D
ID
Bull
Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. Electronic address: palfigy@bio.u-szeged.hu.
György
G
Pálfi
D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007223:Infant; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics; D010164:Paleopathology; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000235:genetics / Q000266:history*; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000266:history; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008055:Lipids
Hungary; Lipid biomarkers; Neolithic; Tuberculosis; aDNA