ABSTRACT Paleoparasitology in Argentina has produced a number of studies, especially from Patagonia. However, investigations on parasites in past populations from the central region of the country are absent. In this regard, we performed the first research on parasite infestation in human remains from archaeological sites of the province of Córdoba. Thirteen individuals from four archaeological sites, dated of 2562 ± 47 to 533 ± 57 14C years BP, were examined. Paleoparasitological analyses were conducted on 20 sediment samples from the pelvic cavity, using spontaneous sedimentation, disaggregation in hydrochloric acid, and sucrose flotation techniques. We found structures suggestive of helminth eggs of Ascaridoidea and Heterakoidea superfamilies, and of unidentified nematode eggs. As animals are the definitive hosts of the parasites found, the results could suggest the occurrence of false parasitism in the individuals from the region. The close interaction between humans and animals, incorporated as part of the diet, is supported by previous isotopic and zooarchaeological studies. The scarcity of parasite findings in this study would be attributed to taphonomic processes and the environmental characteristics of the sites.

RESUMEN La paleoparasitología en la Argentina ha producido un gran número de trabajos, especialmente en Patagonia. Sin embargo, hay ausencia de estos estudios en las poblaciones de la región central del país. En este sentido, realizamos la primera investigación sobre infestaciones parasitarias en restos humanos de sitios arqueológicos de la provincia de Córdoba. Se estudiaron 13 individuos de 4 sitios arqueológicos, datados entre 2562 ± 47 y 533 ± 57 14C años AP. Los análisis paleoparasitológicos se aplicaron sobre 20 muestras de sedimentos provenientes de la cavidad pélvica, empleando las técnicas de sedimentación espontánea, disgregación en ácido clorhídrico y flotación en sacarosa. Se hallaron estructuras sugestivas de huevos de helmintos de las superfamilias Ascaridoidea y Heterakoidea, y otros de nemátodos no identificados. Debido a que los animales son los huéspedes definitivos de estos parásitos, los resultados podrían sugerir la presencia de falso parasitismo en los individuos de la región. La relación cercana de los humanos con los animales, utilizados como parte de la dieta, se sustenta en estudios isotópicos y zooarqueológicos previos. La escasez de hallazgos parasitarios en este estudio posiblemente se debe a factores tafonómicos y a las características ambientales de los sitios.

Resumo Os linguados são peixes comercial e economicamente importantes. Um total de 120 espécimes de linguados (60 Paralichthys isosceles, 30 P. patagonicus e 30 Xystreurys rasile) foram coletados no litoral do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Os peixes foram medidos, necropsiados, filetados e tiveram seus órgãos investigados para a presença de acantocéfalos. A identificação taxonômica foi baseada em caracteres morfológicos, morfométricos e genéticos. Paralichthys isosceles e P. patagonicus estavam parasitados por acantocéfalos juvenis de Serrasentis sagittifer, Bolbosoma turbinella, Corynosoma australe e C. cetaceum; Xystreurys rasile estava parasitado com C. australe. A caracterização genética confirmou a identificação dos espécimes de Bolbosoma turbinella e Corynosoma australe, como demonstrado por análises filogenéticas usando ambos marcadores moleculares ITS e cox1. Foram analisados os índices parasitários: prevalência, intensidade, intensidade média, abundância, abundância média, amplitude de variação da infecção e sítio de infecção de cada espécie de parasito. Este é o primeiro registro de S. sagittifer parasitando P. isosceles e P. patagonicus, e de B. turbinella parasitando P. patagonicus.

Abstract Flounders are commercially and economically important fish. A total of 120 specimens of flounders (60 Paralichthys isosceles, 30 Paralichthys patagonicus and 30 Xystreurys rasile) were collected off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fish were measured, necropsied and filleted, and then had their organs investigated for acanthocephalans. Taxonomic identification of the parasites was based on morphological, morphometric and genetic characters. Paralichthys isosceles and P. patagonicus were parasitized by juveniles of Serrasentis sagittifer, Bolbosoma turbinella, Corynosoma australe and C. cetaceum; Xystreurys rasile was parasitized by C. australe. Genetic characterization confirmed the identification of specimens of Bolbosoma turbinella and Corynosoma australe, as demonstrated by phylogenetic analyses using both ITS and cox1 molecular targets. Parasite indices of prevalence, intensity, mean intensity, abundance, mean abundance, and range of infection, as well as infection site, were evaluated for each parasite species. This is the first report of S. sagittifer parasitizing P. isosceles and P. patagonicus, and B. turbinella parasitizing P. patagonicus.

INTRODUCTION: Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth that produces an infection that can persist for decades. The relationships between certain clinical conditions and strongyloidiasis remains controversial. This study aims to identify the clinical conditions associated with intestinal strongyloidiasis at a reference center for infectious diseases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS: The clinical conditions that were assessed included HIV/AIDS, HTLV infection, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obstructive respiratory diseases, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, cancer, chronic renal disease, nutritional/metabolic disorders, psychiatric conditions, rheumatic diseases and dermatologic diseases. We compared 167 S. stercoralis-positive and 133 S. stercoralis-negative patients. RESULTS: After controlling for sex (male/female OR = 2.29; 95% (CI): (1.42 - 3.70), rheumatic diseases remained significantly associated with intestinal strongyloidiasis (OR: 4.96; 95% CI: 1.34-18.37) in a multiple logistic regression model. With respect to leukocyte counts, patients with strongyloidiasis presented with significantly higher relative eosinophil (10.32% ± 7.2 vs. 4.23% ± 2.92) and monocyte (8.49% ± 7.25 vs. 5.39% ± 4.31) counts and lower segmented neutrophil (52.85% ± 15.31 vs. 61.32% ± 11.4) and lymphocyte counts (28.11% ± 9.72 vs. 30.90% ± 9.51) than S. stercoralis-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Strongyloidiasis should be routinely investigated in hospitalized patients with complex conditions facilitate the treatment of patients who will undergo immunosuppressive therapy. Diagnoses should be determined through the use of appropriate parasitological methods, such as the Baermann-Moraes technique.

Taking into account the difficulties of taxonomic identification of larval anisakid nematodes based on morphological characters, genetic analyses were performed, together with those usually applied, in order to identify anisakid larvae found in the flounder Paralichthys isosceles from the littoral of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The analysis of 1,820 larvae revealed a new species, similar to Hysterothylacium MD, Hysterothylacium 2, Hysterothylacium KB and Hysterothylacium sp regarding the absence of the larval tooth, an excretory pore situated below the nerve ring level, and slender lateral alae. Moreover, the new species differs from Hysterothylacium fortalezae and Hysterothylacium reliquens with regard to the number and size of spines present on the tail end and from Hysterothylacium patagonicus by the absence of interlabia. The maximum parsimony and neighbour joining tree topologies based on the 18S ribosomal DNA gene, complete internal transcribed spacer region and cytochrome oxidase 2 (COII) gene demonstrated that the Brazilian larvae belong to Raphidascarididae and represent a unique genetic entity, confirmed as a new Hysterothylacium species. Furthermore, the new species presents COII genetic signatures and shares polymorphisms with Raphidascarididae members. This is the first description of a new anisakid species from Brazil through the integration of morphological and molecular taxonomy data.

Some human parasites originated in prehominid ancestors in Africa. Nematode species, such as Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), hookworms and Trichuris trichiura are shared by humans and other close phylogenetic primates (Pan and Gorilla), showing that they infected a common ancestor to this group. When humans migrated from Africa to other continents they carried these parasites wherever climate conditions allowed parasite transmission from host to host. Other parasites, however, were acquired throughout human biological and social evolutive history when new territories were occupied. Paleoparasitology data is a valuable source to recover emergence and disappearance of parasite infections through analysis of archaeological remains. Parasites can be used as biological markers of prehistoric human migrations. They are also indicators of diet, as parasite life cycles are related to specific kinds of food consumed by human groups in the different habitats they occupied. We review paleoparasitological findings in South America, comparing human-host and intestinal parasites with life conditions and environmental relationships through time.

Algunos parásitos humanos se originaron en ancestrales prehomínidos de Africa. Especies de nemátodos tales como Enterobius vermicularis y Trichuris trichiura son compartidos por los humanos y otros primates filogenéticamente emparentados (Pan and Gorilla), lo cual indica que tales parásitos antiguamente infectaron a un ancestro común de estos grupos. Cuando los humanos migraron desde Africa a otros continentes, llevaron consigo parásitos a lugares donde las condiciones climáticas permitieran su transmisión de huésped a huésped. Sin embargo, otros parásitos fueron adquiridos a través de la historia evolutiva humana biológica y social, durante la ocupación de nuevos territorios. Las evidencias paleoparasitológicas, encontradas a través del análisis de material arqueológico, son una fuente valiosa para recuperar información de infecciones parasitarias emergentes y desaparecidas. Los parásitos pueden ser usados como marcadores biológicos de migraciones humanas prehistóricas. Además de esto, son indicadores de dieta, debido a que los ciclos de vida parasitarios están relacionados con ciertos alimentos que fueron consumidos por grupos humanos en los diferentes hábitats ocupados. El objetivo de esta revisión bibliográfica es reunir los hallazgos paleoparasitológicos en Sudamérica y comparar la relación huésped humano y parásitos intestinales con condiciones de vida y relaciones ambientales a través del tiempo.

We present the results of a paleoparasitologic, paleogenetic and paleobotanic analysis of coprolites recovered during the excavation of the church La Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Coprolites (n = 4) were rehydrated and a multidisciplinary analysis was conducted. The paleobotanic analysis showed numerous silicates, seeds and fruits of the family Moraceae. In the paleoparasitologic study, Ascaris sp. eggs (n = 344) were identified. The paleogenetic results confirmed the Ascaris sp. infection as well as the European origin of human remains. These findings contribute to our knowledge of ancient helminthes infections and are the first paleoparasitological record of Ascaris sp. infection in Spain.

We evaluated the presence and distribution of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in a mummy presenting with megacolon that was dated as approximately 560 ± 40 years old. The mummy was from the Peruaçu Valley in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. All samples were positive for T. cruzi minicircle DNA, demonstrating the presence and broad dissemination of the parasite in this body. From one sample, a mini-exon gene fragment was recovered and characterized by sequencing and was found to belong to the T. cruzi I genotype. This finding suggests that T. cruzi I infected humans during the pre-Columbian times and that, in addition to T. cruzi infection, Chagas disease in Brazil most likely preceded European colonization.

Neste estudo, foram analisados os compartimentos gástricos de dez cetáceos encalhados na costa do Ceará, região nordeste do Brasil. Parasitos do gênero Anisakis foram diagnosticados em todos os indivíduos estudados. As amostras parasitárias e teciduais foram coletadas durante o procedimento de necropsia. A presença de Anisakis demonstrou distribuição similar nos três compartimentos gástricos, estando a maior parte dos parasitos livre na mucosa gástrica. Macroscopicamente, as lesões se caracterizaram principalmente pela presença de úlceras (60%, 6/10) gástricas, associadas ocasionalmente a edema e hemorragia (30%, 3/10). Oito cetáceos (8/10 - 80%) apresentaram alterações gástricas microscópicas e em 75% (6/8) destes animais, foi observada uma gastrite crônica linfoplasmocitária com vários graus de distribuição e severidade. Foram constatados ainda, focos de inflamação granulomatosa com a presença de eosinófilos, células gigantes e a formação de hemossiderose, fibrose e de necrose em torno dos parasitos. Neste estudo, a maioria dos cetáceos com a presença de parasitos do gênero Anisakis apresentaram alterações gástricas macro e microscópicas. Estes nematóides estão provavelmente associados ao desenvolvimento destas alterações, entretanto, mais estudos são ainda necessários.

The gastric compartments of ten cetaceans stranded on the coast of Ceará State, Northeast Brazil were analyzed in this study. Gastric Anisakis spp. was diagnosed in all individuals involved in this study. Parasites and tissue samples were collected during necropsy. The presence of Anisakis parasites showed similar distribution across the three gastric compartments and the majority was free within the gastric lumen. Macroscopically, the lesions were predominantly characterized by the presence of ulcers (60%, 6/10) within the gastric mucosa, occasionally associated with edema and hemorrhage (30%, 3/10). Eight cetaceans (8/10 - 80%) presented gastric microscopic alterations and in 75% (6/8) of these animals, chronic lymphoplasmocytic gastritis was observed with varying degrees of distribution and severity. Additionally, eosinophilic and granulomatous inflammation with giant cells, hemosiderosis, fibrosis and areas of necrosis were associated with location of parasites within the gastric mucosa. In this study, it was shown that the majority of cetaceans with the presence of Anisakis parasites presented macro and microscopic gastric alterations. These nematodes are probably associated with the development of these alterations; however, more pathological approaches are still required.

Paleoparasitological studies using microscopy showed that Ascarisand Trichuris trichiura are the human intestinal parasites most found in archaeological sites. However, in pre-Columbian South American archaeological sites, Ascaris is rare. In this work we standardized a molecular methodology for Ascaris diagnosis directly from ancient DNA retrieved from coprolites. Using cythochrome b gene (142 bp) target, ancient DNA sequences were retrieved from South American samples, negative by microscopy. Moreover, the methodology applied was sensitive enough to detect ancient DNA extracted from 30 Ascaris eggs from an European coprolite. These results revealed a new scenery for the paleodistribution of Ascaris in South America.

The aim of this work was to determine approaches that would improve the quality of ancient DNA (aDNA) present in coprolites to enhance the possibility of success in retrieving specific sequence targets. We worked with coprolites from South American archaeological sites in Brazil and Chile dating up to 7,000 years ago. Using established protocols for aDNA extraction we obtained samples showing high degradation as usually happens with this kind of material. The reconstructive polymerization pretreatment was essential to overcome the DNA degradation and the serial dilutions helped with to prevent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors. Moreover, the random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR has been shown to be a reliable technique for further experiments to recover specific aDNA sequences.

A molecular paleoparasitological diagnostic approach was developed for Enterobius vermicularis. Ancient DNA was extracted from 27 coprolites from archaeological sites in Chile and USA. Enzymatic amplification of human mtDNA sequences confirmed the human origin. We designed primers specific to the E. vermicularis 5S ribosomal RNA spacer region and they allowed reproducible polymerase chain reaction identification of ancient material. We suggested that the paleoparasitological microscopic identification could accompany molecular diagnosis, which also opens the possibility of sequence analysis to understand parasite-host evolution.

Paleoparasitologia é o estudo de parasitos encontrados em material arqueológico. O desenvolvimento deste campo da pesquisa teve início com a identificação de ovos de helmintos em tecidos mumificados, análise de coprólitos e, recentemente, através da biologia molecular. Neste artigo faz-se uma breve revisão da história da paleoparasitologia com referência especial aos estudos de ADN antigo (ancient DNA) em material arqueológico

Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites found in archaeological material. The development of this field of research began with histological identification of helminth eggs in mummy tissues, analysis of coprolites, and recently through molecular biology. An approach to the history of paleoparasitology is reviewed in this paper, with special reference to the studies of ancient DNA identified in archaeological material.