Castro Mario, Pacheco Aryel, Kuzmanic Ivo, Clarot Alejandro, Díaz Pablo
Department of Morphology, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Las Condes 12438, Santiago 7710162, Chile; Department of Museums, Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural, Av. Recoleta 683, Santiago, 8420260, Chile.
Department of Archaeology, Bioarchaeology Research Group, Durham University, United Kingdom; OSTeam Ltda., Santiago, Chile.
Int J Paleopathol. 2020 Sep;30:10-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2020.01.004. Epub 2020 Mar 5.
This paper reports a new case of treponemal disease in a pre-Columbian hunter-gatherer inhabiting the desert coast of South America.
A well-preserved adult male skeleton from the "Vertedero Municipal" archaeological cemetery, located near the city of Antofagasta (Northern Chile).
The skeleton was radiocarbon dated, and isotopic analyses were performed to assess diet and mobility. Lytic and proliferative lesions identified were evaluated macroscopically and radiologically.
A radiocarbon date of 1830 ± 20 BP and isotopic values indicating a marine diet and coastal residence were obtained. The cranium shows reactive changes as focal superficial cavitation, radial scarring and nodular cavitation, while the ribs, sternum, clavicles, and scapulae exhibit multiple lytic and proliferative lesions. The right femur has a node while both tibiae show mild anterior cortical thickening with a narrowed medullary cavity.
Cranial lesions are pathognomonic for treponemal disease while postcranial changes are typical, and highly consistent with this pathology.
The type, morphology, and pattern of lesions make this case a good candidate for venereal syphilis. The case is relevant to the origin of venereal syphilis due to the lifestyle, temporal and ecological context of the individual.
Diagnosis of venereal syphilis is based on skeletal lesions; thus, it must be confirmed by molecular analysis.
A comprehensive review of cases of pre-Columbian treponemal disease in South America as well as molecular studies are needed to confirm the presence of venereal syphilis in the New World before European contact.
本文报告了一例前哥伦布时期居住在南美洲沙漠海岸的狩猎采集者患梅毒疾病的新病例。
一具保存完好的成年男性骨骼，来自位于安托法加斯塔市（智利北部）附近的“Vertedero Municipal”考古墓地。
对该骨骼进行放射性碳测年，并进行同位素分析以评估饮食和活动情况。对识别出的溶骨性和增殖性病变进行宏观和放射学评估。
获得了公元前1830±20年的放射性碳测年结果以及表明海洋饮食和沿海居住的同位素值。颅骨显示出反应性变化，如局灶性浅表空洞、放射状瘢痕和结节状空洞，而肋骨、胸骨、锁骨和肩胛骨则呈现多处溶骨性和增殖性病变。右股骨有一个结节，双侧胫骨显示轻度前皮质增厚，髓腔变窄。
颅骨病变是梅毒疾病的特征性表现，而后颅骨变化是典型的，且与这种病理高度一致。
病变的类型、形态和模式使该病例成为梅毒的有力候选病例。鉴于个体的生活方式、时间和生态背景，该病例与梅毒的起源相关。
梅毒的诊断基于骨骼病变；因此，必须通过分子分析加以证实。
需要对南美洲前哥伦布时期梅毒疾病病例进行全面回顾以及开展分子研究，以确认在欧洲人接触之前新世界是否存在梅毒。
