Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, The Henry Wellcome Building, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QH, UK.
Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy.
Int J Paleopathol. 2021 Jun;33:61-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.03.001. Epub 2021 Mar 18.
This study aims to investigate parasitic infection in Italy during the Roman period (27 BCE-476 CE) and subsequent Longobard (Lombard) period (6th-8th CE).
Sediment samples from drains and burials from Roman Imperial-period sites in Italy (Lucus Feroniae, Oplontis, Vacone, and Vagnari), Late Antique and Longobard-period burials at Selvicciola (ca. 4th-8th CE), and Longobard-period burials at Vacone and Povegliano Veronese.
Microscopy was used to identify helminth eggs and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect protozoan antigens.
Roundworm and whipworm were found in pelvic sediment from Roman-period burials, while roundworm and the protozoan Giardia duodenalis were identified in Roman-period drains. In pelvic sediment from the Late Antique through Longobard periods, roundworm and Taenia tapeworm eggs were identified.
Fecal-oral parasites were found throughout Imperial Roman Italy, suggesting that gastrointestinal infections caused a significant disease burden. In the Longobard period we see continuity in transmission of fecal-oral parasites, and the appearance of zoonotic parasites acquired from eating undercooked meat.
A wealth of information exists about certain diseases in the Roman period, but relatively little is known about intestinal parasites in Italy during the Roman and Longobard periods. This is the first evidence for Giardia in Roman period Italy, and for any parasites in the Longobard period in Italy.
Low egg concentrations and lack of controls for some samples makes it difficult to differentiate true infections from environmental contamination in some cases.
Continual study of samples from Roman and Longobard period Italy.
本研究旨在调查罗马时期（公元前 27 年-公元 476 年）和随后的伦巴第时期（公元 6 世纪-8 世纪）意大利的寄生虫感染情况。
来自意大利罗马帝国时期遗址（卢卡斯·费罗尼亚、奥普伦蒂斯、瓦科内和瓦格纳里）的排水渠和墓葬、塞尔维奇奥拉（公元 4 世纪-8 世纪）的晚期古代和伦巴第时期墓葬、瓦科内和波韦利亚诺韦尔塞莱的伦巴第时期墓葬的沉积物样本。
显微镜用于鉴定寄生虫卵，酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）用于检测原生动物抗原。
在罗马时期墓葬的骨盆沉积物中发现了蛔虫和鞭虫，而在罗马时期的排水渠中发现了蛔虫和原生动物贾第虫。在晚期古代到伦巴第时期的骨盆沉积物中，发现了蛔虫和绦虫。
在整个罗马意大利都发现了粪口寄生虫，这表明胃肠道感染造成了重大的疾病负担。在伦巴第时期，我们看到粪口寄生虫的传播具有连续性，并且出现了因食用未煮熟的肉类而感染的动物源性寄生虫。
关于罗马时期某些疾病的信息很多，但关于罗马和伦巴第时期意大利的肠道寄生虫却知之甚少。这是在意大利罗马时期首次发现贾第虫，也是在意大利的伦巴第时期首次发现任何寄生虫。
在某些情况下，由于卵浓度低且缺乏对某些样本的对照，因此很难区分真实感染和环境污染。
持续研究来自罗马和伦巴第时期意大利的样本。
