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Pre‐Columbian tuberculosis in Northern Chile: Molecular and skeletal evidence

  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • University of Minnesota Duluth

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

146 Scopus citations

Abstract

Analysis of 483 skeletons from Arica (Chile) and review of mummy dissection records demonstrates an overall 1% prevalence rate for tuberculosis between 2000 B.C. and A.D. 1500. Tuberculosis cases cluster in the period A.D. 500–1000 which correlates with fully agropastoral societies. Considering only these agropastoral societies, about 2% of their members show tuberculosis lesions. A segment of DNA unique to Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified in an extract from the vertebral lesion of a 12‐year‐old girl with Pott's disease from about A.D. 1000, establishing the pre‐Columbian presence of tuberculosis with the most specific evidence currently available. © Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)37-45
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology
Volume98
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1995

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • Andes
  • DNA
  • Mummy
  • Pott's disease

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