Alimentação de grupos humanos pré-históricos do sítio arqueológico Furna do Estrago, Pernambuco, Brasil / Power of prehistoric human groups from the archaeological site of the Cavern Damage, Pernambuco, Brazil

Considerando-se o encontro de resíduos alimentares que possibilitem a reconstrução dos hábitos humanos pré-históricos, esta pesquisa foi conduzida em coprólitos provenientes do sítio arqueológico Furna do Estrago, localizado em Pernambuco – Brasil, com material proveniente do período em que o sítio foi utilizado como cemitério com datações até 2.000 anos Antes do Presente (AP). O trabalho possibilitou identificar e conhecer os hábitos alimentares deste grupo pré-histórico através da identificação de restos alimentares encontrados na dieta. Os resultados encontrados revelaram um dieta rica em alimentos vegetais e o consumo de alimentos com propriedades medicinais, que, quando associados a estudos paleoparasitológicos anteriores,sugerem a possibilidade de uma paleofarmacopéia. Ainda, o encontro de tubérculos que sofreram algum tipo de cozimento indicam que se tratava de um grupo semi-sedentário com um início de horticultura. A diferença na alimentação entre homens e mulheres, bem como, a busca por alimentos encontrados em regiões distantes da localidade do sítio arqueológico também foram aqui apresentados...

Considering the gathering of food waste to enable the reconstruction of prehistoric humanhabits, this research was conducted in coprolites from the archaeological site of the Cavern Damage, located in Pernambuco - Brazil, with material from the period when the site was usedas with cemetery dating to 2000 years Before Present (BP).This study has helped to identify and meet the dietary habits of this prehistoric groupt hrough identification of food remains found in the diet. The results revealed a diet rich in plant foods and food consumption with medicinal properties, which, when associated with paleoparasitológicos previous studies suggest the possibility of a paleofarmacopéia. Still, themeeting of tubers who have suffered some type of cooking indicate that it was a semi-sedentary group with an onset of horticulture. The difference in power between men and women, as well asthe search for foods found in regions far from the location of the archaeological site were also presented here...

Paleoparasitology: the origin of human parasites / Paleoparasitologia: a origem dos parasitas humanos

Parasitism is composed by three subsystems: the parasite, the host, and the environment. There are no organisms that cannot be parasitized. The relationship between a parasite and its host species most of the time do not result in damage or disease to the host. However, in a parasitic disease the presence of a given parasite is always necessary, at least in a given moment of the infection. Some parasite species that infect humans were inherited from pre-hominids, and were shared with other phylogenetically close host species, but other parasite species were acquired from the environment as humans evolved. Human migration spread inherited parasites throughout the globe. To recover and trace the origin and evolution of infectious diseases, paleoparasitology was created. Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites in ancient material, which provided new information on the evolution, paleoepidemiology, ecology and phylogenetics of infectious diseases.

O parasitismo é composto por três subsistemas: o parasito, o hospedeiro e meio ambiente. Não existe organismo que não possa ser parasitado. A relação entre um parasito e suas espécies de hospedeiro não resulta, na maior parte das vezes, em dano ou doença ao hospedeiro. Entretanto, numa doença parasitária, a presença de um determinado parasito é sempre necessária, pelo menos em um determinado momento da infecção. Algumas espécies de parasitos que infectam humanos foram herdados dos pré-hominídeos, e foram compartilhados com outras espécies de hospedeiro filogeneticamente próximas, mas outras espécies foram adquiridas pelo meio ambiente à medida que os humanos se desenvolveram. As migrações humanas espalharam os parasitos adquiridos por todo o mundo. Para recuperar e traçar a origem e evolução das doenças infecciosas foi criada a paleoparasitologia. Paleoparasitologia é o estudo dos parasitos em materiais antigos, que trouxe novas informações na evolução, paleoepidemiologia, ecologia e filogenética das doenças infecciosas.

Studies on protozoa in ancient remains - A Review

Paleoparasitological research has made important contributions to the understanding of parasite evolution and ecology. Although parasitic protozoa exhibit a worldwide distribution, recovering these organisms from an archaeological context is still exceptional and relies on the availability and distribution of evidence, the ecology of infectious diseases and adequate detection techniques. Here, we present a review of the findings related to protozoa in ancient remains, with an emphasis on their geographical distribution in the past and the methodologies used for their retrieval. The development of more sensitive detection methods has increased the number of identified parasitic species, promising interesting insights from research in the future.

Possible influence of the ENSO phenomenon on the pathoecology of diphyllobothriasis and anisakiasis in ancient Chinchorro populations

Current clinical data show a clear relationship between the zoonosis rates of Diphyllobothrium pacificum and Anisakis caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO) phenomenon along the Chilean coast. These parasites are endemic to the region and have a specific habitat distribution. D. pacificum prefers the warmer waters in the northern coast, while Anisakis prefers the colder waters of Southern Chile. The ENSO phenomenon causes a drastic inversion in the seawater temperatures in this region, modifying both the cool nutrient-rich seawater and the local ecology. This causes a latitudinal shift in marine parasite distribution and prevalence, as well as drastic environmental changes. The abundance of human mummies and archaeological coastal sites in the Atacama Desert provides an excellent model to test the ENSO impact on antiquity. We review the clinical and archaeological literature debating to what extent these parasites affected the health of the Chinchorros, the earliest settlers of this region. We hypothesise the Chinchorro and their descendants were affected by this natural and cyclical ENSO phenomenon and should therefore present fluctuating rates of D. pacificum and Anisakis infestations.

Paleoparasitology of Chagas disease: a review

One hundred years since the discovery of Chagas disease associated with Trypanosoma cruzi infection, growing attention has focused on understanding the evolution in parasite-human host interaction. This interest has featured studies and results from paleoparasitology, not only the description of lesions in mummified bodies, but also the recovery of genetic material from the parasite and the possibility of analyzing such material over time. The present study reviews the evidence of Chagas disease in organic remains excavated from archeological sites and discusses two findings in greater detail, both with lesions suggestive of chagasic megacolon and confirmed by molecular biology techniques. One of these sites is located in the United States, on the border between Texas and Mexico and the other in state of Minas Gerais, in the Brazilian cerrado (savannah). Dated prior to contact with Europeans, these results confirm that Chagas disease affected prehistoric human groups in other regions outside the Andean altiplanos and other transmission areas on the Pacific Coast, previously considered the origin of T. cruzi infection in the human host.

Parasitismo em populações pré-colombianas: helmintos de animaisem coprólitos de origem humana do Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara, PI, Brasil / Parasitism in pre-Columbian populations: helminths of animals in human coprolites from the National Park Serra da Capivara, PI, Brazil

O parque Nacional Serra da Capivara possui os mais antigos registros de presença humana das Américas, com datações que superam 50.000 anos. Apresenta, em sua história de ocupação, grupos caçadores coletores e grupos agricultores. Por possuir sítios arqueológicos em áreas de diferentes fisionomias, oferece uma excelente oportunidade para aprofundar o conhecimento da diversidade parasitária das espécies humana e da fauna silvestre em populações pré-históricas e suas modificações / adaptações ao longo do tempo. Coprólitos e sedimentos de até 30.000 anos, de origem humana e animal, retirados de escavações de 16 sítios arqueológicos foram reidratados e analisados em microscópio óptico. Das 204 amostras analisadas, 110 foram positivas e pelo menos 24 parasitos identificados. Foram identificadas 37 amostras de origem humana, destas 19 (51,35 %) foram positivas para: Ancylostomidae, Ascaridae, Oxyuridae, Trematoda, Trichuris sp., Parapharyngodon sp., Hymenolepisnana, Eimeria sp. além de Nematoda não identificado e um possível Acanthor. Nas amostras de animais foram identificados parasitos capazes de causar zoonoses em humanos como Spirometra sp., Toxocara sp., Capillaria sp. e Acanthocephala. Os resultados obtidos fornecem oportunidade de se construir cenários a respeito das relações parasitárias existentes entre os diversos hospedeiros e a evolução destas relações no tempo e no espaço.

The National Park of Serra da Capivara has the oldest records for the human presence in the Americas, dating to 50,000 years. Hunter-gatherers and agricultural populations occupied the region. Archaeological sites in areas of different physiognomies offer anexcellent opportunity to the knowledge on the diversity of parasite species of wildlife and human populations in prehistoric times, and changes and adjustments along time. Coprolites and sediments of human and animal origin dated up to 30,000 years found in 16 archaeological sites were rehydrated and examined at the microscope. Of 204analyzed samples, 110 were positive and 24 parasites identified. 37 samples were identified as of human origin, and 19 (51.35%) were positive for Ancylostomidae, Ascaridae, Oxyuridae, Trematoda, Trichuris sp., Parapharyngodon sp., Hymenolepisnana, Eimeria sp., unidentified Nematoda and a possible Acanthor. Spirometra sp., Toxocara sp., Capillaria sp. and Acanthocephala eggs were identified in animal coprolites, and all are able to cause zoonose in humans. Results provide data to rebuiltscenarios regarding host-parasite relationships in time and space.

La Malaria en el Nuevo Mundo: de los Origenes al Siglo XXI / Malaria in the New World: From its Origin to the XXI Century

A partir de una revisión histórico-epidemiológica de la información disponible sobre el Paludismo en nuestro continente, después de la llegada de los Conquistadores, se comentan las relaciones parásito-vectores y hospederos naturales, dejando abierta la gran incógnita del origen de los parásitos maláricos en el Nuevo Mundo. Se traza una visión de salud y enfermedad como producto de la conquista y de la limitada experiencia de nuestros aborígenes frente a las patologías importadas de Eurasia. Un resumen sobre la lucha antipalúdica organizada permite algunas consideraciones sobre su presente y futuro. Se concluye sugiriendo un esfuerzo multidisciplinario y pluriinstitucional basado en una estrategia de participación comunitaria para superar el estancamiento o los retrocesos presentes en los inicios del Siglo XXI.

Starting from a historic-epidemiological review of the available information concerning malaria in our continent after the arrival of the "conquistadores", the authors discuss the relations between parasites, vectors and natural hosts, leaving unsolved the question concerning the origin of malaria parasites in the New World. An outlook of health-disease process as a product of the conquest and the limited experience of our ancestors in front of exotic pathologies arrived from Eurasia is given. A summary of the organized struggle against malaria allows some considerations on its present and future perspectives. Finally, a suggestion for a joint professional and institutional effort with a community based strategy is made, aimed to overcome the blockage and setbacks recorded at the beginning of the XXI century.