Even Stonehenge folks had parasites

[guy]

There have been several threads before on parasitic infestation discovered in ancient societies. This finding at Durrington Walls near Stonehenge is possibly the oldest finding of parasitic infection found in the UK.
 

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The researchers found 19 pieces of ancient faeces, also known as coprolite, dating from around 4,500 years ago. Five of the faeces (one from a human and the others from dogs) were found to contain the eggs of parasitic worms, representing the earliest evidence of intestinal parasites found within the UK where the host species that produced the faeces has been identified.

“This is the first-time intestinal parasites have been recovered from Neolithic Britain, and to find them in the environment of Stonehenge is really something. The type of parasites we find are compatible with previous evidence for winter feasting on animals during the building of Stonehenge.”

“As capillariid worms can infect cattle and other ruminants, it seems that cows may have been the most likely source of the parasite eggs,” said Mitchell. The finding of capillariid worms in both human and dog faeces suggests that the inhabitants fed their dogs with leftovers.

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 Nineteen coprolites recovered from a midden and associated pits at Durrington Walls were analysed for intestinal parasite eggs using digital light microscopy. Five (26%) contained helminth eggs, 1 with those of fish tapeworm (likely Dibothriocephalus dendriticus) and 4 with those of capillariid nematodes. Analyses of bile acid and sterol from these 5 coprolites show 1 to be of likely human origin and the other 4 to likely derive from dogs. The presence of fish tapeworm reveals that the Neolithic people who gathered to feast at Durrington Walls were at risk of infection from eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish. When the eggs of capillariids are found in the feces of humans or dogs it normally indicates that the internal organs (liver, lung or intestines) of animals with capillariasis have been eaten, and eggs passed through the gut without causing disease. Their presence in multiple coprolites provides new evidence that internal organs of animals were consumed.

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/05/faeces-found-near-stonehenge-contains-prehistoric-parasites/143652?amp

 

 

 

Intestinal parasites in the Neolithic population who built Stonehenge (Durrington Walls, 2500 BCE) | Parasitology | Cambridge Core

 

I had to look up capillariasis up from the CDC information site:

 

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Capillariasis is a parasitic disease in humans caused by two different species of capillarids: Capillaria hepatica and Capillaria philippinensis. C. hepatica is transferred through the fecal matter of infected animals and can lead to hepatitis. C. philippinensis is transferred through ingesting infected small freshwater fish and can lead to diarrhea and emaciation.

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/capillaria/index.html

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by guy