title: A First Case of Human Trichuriasis from a Roman Lead Coffin in France.
abstract: A paleoparasitological study was carried out on 2 lead coffins recovered from the Roman site of Jaunay-Clan (near Poitiers, France). For the first time, this particular type of burial gave positive parasitological results, and eggs of the whipwormTrichuris trichiurawere identified in 1 individual. In the present case, thanatomorphose associated with funerary practices may explain the scarcity of the recovered eggs. However, human whipworm has now been observed in 9 individuals dated to the Roman period. The very high frequency ofTrichurissp. eggs in Roman archaeological sites (up to 80%) suggests that fecal peril, hygiene, and waste management were problematic during this period. Finally, due to the fact that very few analyses have been conducted on human bodies dated to the Roman period, more analyses must be performed in the future to provide further information about diseases in the Roman world.
authors.affiliation: University of Bourgogne Franche-Comte, CNRS UMR 6249 Chrono-environment, 16 Route de Gray, 25030 Besancon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.affiliation: Centre Camille Jullian, UMR 7299, 5 rue du Château de l'Horloge, BP 647, 13094 Aix-en-Provence, France.
authors.forename: Maxence
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segard
authors.affiliation: University of Bourgogne Franche-Comte, CNRS UMR 6249 Chrono-environment, 16 Route de Gray, 25030 Besancon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Bailly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D005580:Fossils / Q000469:parasitology*; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D018644:Roman World; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D014258:Trichuris / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Roman period; Trichuris trichiura; lead coffin; paleoparaasitology; trichuriasis