Exploring prehistoric tuberculosis in Britain : a combined macroscopic and biomolecular approach
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial, infectious disease, currently responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Although the aetiology of the disease in its current form is well documented in the clinical literature, little is known of the form the disease took in earlier times, or the time at which it first entered Britain. This study aimed to test the hypotheses that TB was present in British prehistory, (as it was in Europe), prior to that previously identified in the Iron Age (Mays and Taylor, 2003) and that the infection was caused by both M. tuberculosis and M. bovis; the latter most commonly contracted from cattle. The objective of the project was to use ancient DNA (aDNA) from human skeletons to study the bacteria responsible for TB (M. tuberculosis complex) in order to then study the origin and evolution of the strains of the bacteria causing TB in prehistoric Britain. Thirteen individuals from Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age sites in the south of England (comprising inhumations of reasonable preservation), were selected for inclusion in the project, based on non-specific evidence of infection, potentially representative of early tuberculous skeletal involvement. A biocultural approach was employed in
McCarrison, Kirsty Elizabeth
Exploring prehistoric tuberculosis in Britain : a combined macroscopic and biomolecular approach. Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial, infectious disease, currently responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Although the aetiology of the disease in its current form is well documented in the clinical literature, little is known of the form the disease took in earlier times, or the time at which it first entered Britain. This study aimed to test the hypotheses that TB was present in British prehistory, (as it was in Europe), prior to that previously identified in the Iron Age (Mays and Taylor, 2003) and that the infection was caused by both M. tuberculosis and M. bovis; the latter most commonly contracted from cattle. The objective of the project was to use ancient DNA (aDNA) from human skeletons to study the bacteria responsible for TB (M. tuberculosis complex) in order to then study the origin and evolution of the strains of the bacteria causing TB in prehistoric Britain. Thirteen individuals from Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age sites in the south of England (comprising inhumations of reasonable preservation), were selected for inclusion in the project, based on non-specific evidence of infection, potentially representative of early tuberculous skeletal involvement. A biocultural approach was employed in
exploring prehistoric tuberculosis britain combine macroscopic biomolecular approach tuberculosis bacterial infectious_disease currently responsible million death worldwide although aetiology disease current form well_documented clinical literature little_known form disease take earlier time time first enter britain study aim_test hypothesis present british_prehistory europe prior previously_identify iron_age taylor infection cause tuberculosis latter commonly contract cattle objective project use ancient_dna human skeleton study bacteria responsible tuberculosis complex order study origin_evolution strain bacteria cause prehistoric britain thirteen individual neolithic bronze iron age sit south england comprise inhumation reasonable preservation select inclusion project base non specific evidence infection potentially representative early skeletal involvement biocultural employ