School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

A Case of Geohelminthiasis

in a Mummy from the

Dominican Church of the

Holy Spirit, Vilnius, Lithuania

J. J. MORROW1, A. S. LARSEN1, K. J. REINHARD1,

R. JANKAUSKAS2, J. KOZAKAITĖ2, AND D. POMBINO-MASCALI2

1Pathoecology Laboratory, School of Natural Resources,

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska

2Department of Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology,

Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

European Mummy Studies • Rising interest in European mummies

– Italy—The Medici Mummy Project

• Mummies reveal:

–Environmental conditions (e.g. sanitation)

–Seasonality of death

–Mummy preparation

–Diet and medicinal plant use

–Parasitism

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Church of the Holy Spirit • Erected in 1600s

• Dead interred (18th and 19th centuries)

• Cool, dry conditions

• Multiple studies

–1940s—Students

–1963—Juozas Markulis

• Over 500 mummies studied

Photo Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Church_of_the_Holy_Spirit_in_Vilnius_%288123237487%29.jpg

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Photo Sources: http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/tourism/places-to-visit/churches/church-of-the-holy-spirit/

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Church of the Holy Spirit • Several structural changes through time

–WWII damage

–Glass window installed

• Decomposition

–Church contacted

mummy specialists

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Lithuanian Mummy Project

• ~50 mummies left

• 23 mummies analyzed

–15 Adults

–8 Subadults

–Misc. Body Parts

• Middle-Upper Class

–Most spontaneously mummified

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Materials and Methods

• 10 samples (7 adults; 3 subadults)

–Rectum & abdominal contents/tissues

• Preliminary Data Collection

–Photographs

–Subsample weights

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Materials and Methods • Processing

–Rehydration

–Disaggregation [Lycopodium]

–Screen/Washing

–Centrifugation

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Materials and Methods

• Microscopic Analyses

–Slide preparation (glycerin)

–Count, measure, & photograph

• Infinity Image Capture System

–Quantification using Lycopodium

• Egg Concentration = [(p/m) × a]/w

• Expressed in eggs per gram (epg)

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Intestinal Parasite Analysis

• 1/10 (10%) infected individuals

• T. trichiura infection (Trichuriasis)

–4,779 epg

• A. lumbricoides infection (Ascariasis)

–442 epg

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lithuanian Archaeoparasitology

• First reported case of geohelminthiasis

–Trichuriasis & Ascariasis present

• Diseases persistent in 18th century

–Possible sanitation issues

• Additions to existing knowledge of:

–European mummies

–18th & 19th Century disease

–Parasite preservation potential

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Acknowledgements • Science Without Borders

• School of Natural Resources (UNL)

• Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research

Experiences Program (UCARE)

• Department of Anatomy, Histology and

Anthropology, Vilnius University

• Church officials at Dominican Church of the

Holy Spirit, Vilnius, Lithuania

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Questions?

Photo Credit: John Balkūnas

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Continuing Work • Dietary analyses

–Macroremains

–Starch and Pollen Analyses

• More mummies to analyze!

– Increase sample size

• Archaeoparasite comparative studies

–Pirano, The Medici, Korea, & Nivelles

–New World vs. Old World

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Fortuitous female

–Underdeveloped T. trichiura eggs

–Burst ovary

• Differential Preservation

–Supports Reinhard & Urban, 2003

–Parasite Biology • Differential intestinal positioning/attachment

• Different egg constructs

Egg Conditions

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Materials and Methods

• Quantification

–Parasite Egg Concentration Values

• Egg Concentration = [(p/m) × a]/v

–p - # parasite eggs

–m - # marker grains counted

–a - # marker grains added

–v - volume/weight of sample

School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Materials and Methods

• Quantification

–Parasite Egg Concentration Values

• Example: Egg Concentration = [(p/m) × a]/v

–2 tabs added (~25,000 spores); 3.00 grams

–55 eggs counted; 90 Lycopodium counted

– [(55/90) × 25,000]/3.00 = 5,092 eggs/gram