title: Tuberculosis in early medieval Switzerland--osteological and molecular evidence.
abstract: Lesions consistent with skeletal tuberculosis were found in 13 individuals from an early medieval skeletal sample from Courroux (Switzerland). One case of Pott's disease as well as lytic lesions in vertebrae and joints, rib lesions and endocranial new bone formation were identified. Three individuals with lesions and one without were tested for the presence of Myobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) ancient DNA (aDNA), and in two cases, evidence for MTBC aDNA was detected. Our results suggest the presence of tuberculosis in the analysed material, which is in accordance with other osteological and biomolecular research that reported a high prevalence of tuberculosis in medieval skeletons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern University, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Office de la Culture, Section d'archéologie et paléontologie, Porrentruy, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fellner
authors.affiliation: Office de la Culture, Section d'archéologie et paléontologie, Porrentruy, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Heubi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Mummies and the Iceman, EURAC Research, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maixner
authors.affiliation: Institute for Mummies and the Iceman, EURAC Research, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zink
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern University, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lösch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010164:Paleopathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012272:Ribs; D013557:Switzerland; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial