Dataset Information

The millennial dynamics of malaria in the mediterranean basin: documenting Plasmodium spp. on the medieval island of Corsica.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The lack of well-preserved material upon which to base the paleo-microbiological detection of Plasmodium parasites has prevented extensive documentation of past outbreaks of malaria in Europe. By trapping intact erythrocytes at the time of death, dental pulp has been shown to be a suitable tissue for documenting ancient intraerythrocytic pathogens such as Plasmodium parasites.

Methods

Total DNA and proteins extracted from 23 dental pulp specimens collected from individuals exhumed from the 9th to 13th century archaeological site in Mariana, Corsica, were analyzed using open-mind paleo-auto-immunohistochemistry and direct metagenomics, Plasmodium-targeting immunochromatography assays. All experiments incorporated appropriate negative controls.

Results

Paleo-auto-immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of parasites Plasmodium spp. in the dental pulp of nine teeth. A further immunochromatography assay identified the presence of at least one Plasmodium antigen in nine individuals. The nine teeth, for which the PfHRP-2 antigen specific of P. falciparum was detected, were also positive using paleo-autoimmunohistochemistry and metagenomics.

Conclusion

Dental pulp erythrocytes proved to be suitable for the direct paleomicrobiology documentation of malaria in nine individuals buried in medieval Corsica, in agreement with historical data. This provides additional information on the millennial dynamics of Plasmodium spp. in the Mediterranean basin.

SUBMITTER: Boualam MA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10739463 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The millennial dynamics of malaria in the mediterranean basin: documenting <i>Plasmodium spp.</i> on the medieval island of Corsica.

Boualam Mahmoud Abdelwadoud MA Corbara Anne-Gaëlle AG Aboudharam Gérard G Istria Daniel D Signoli Michel M Costedoat Caroline C Drancourt Michel M Pradines Bruno B

Frontiers in medicine 20231208

<h4>Introduction</h4>The lack of well-preserved material upon which to base the paleo-microbiological detection of <i>Plasmodium</i> parasites has prevented extensive documentation of past outbreaks of malaria in Europe. By trapping intact erythrocytes at the time of death, dental pulp has been shown to be a suitable tissue for documenting ancient intraerythrocytic pathogens such as <i>Plasmodium</i> parasites.<h4>Methods</h4>Total DNA and proteins extracted from 23 dental pulp specimens collect ...[more]

PMID: 38143446

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