Histology of pulmonary tuberculosis in a 19th-century mummy from Comiso (Sicily, Italy).

Autor: Gaeta R; Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: raffaele.gaeta@med.unipi.it., Giuffra V; Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy., Maixner F; Eurac Research Institute for Mummy Studies, Bolzano 39100, Italy., Aringhieri G; Academic Radiology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy., Fornaciari A; Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: International journal of paleopathology [Int J Paleopathol] 2024 Dec; Vol. 47, pp. 54-60. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Nov 11.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2024.11.001
Abstrakt: Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate potential evidence of tuberculosis in mummified remains.
Materials: The natural mummy of an anonymous friar from the mortuary chapel of the church of Santa Maria della Grazia in Comiso (Sicily) METHODS: The mummy was studied through macroscopic examination; tissue sampling was conducted through breaches in the dorsal surface of the thorax. Radiological, histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed on the pulmonary parenchyma.
Results: The mummified remains are those of an adult male approximately 25-45 years old. In the left lung, 7 intra parenchymal calcified nodules were detected. The fibrocalcific nodules showed some lacunae surrounded by fibrous tissue containing amorphous necrotic, most probably caseous, material.
Conclusions: These findings are compatible with a chronic infectious-inflammatory disease, likely a calcification of a previous Ghon complex of an apical nodular tuberculosis.
Significance: Our study supports the great spread of the disease in the 19th century; a time when it reached its maximum peak in Europe.
Limitations: Molecular investigations failed to detect traces of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in the sample.
Suggestions for Further Research: The investigation on the mummies from Comiso is still in progress, and further analyses will potentially provide paleopathological data on this community of Modern Age which could be integrated with historical and archival sources.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
(Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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