@misc{10481/111181,
year = {2025},
month = {8},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/111181},
abstract = {Objective: Evaluate the presence of digestive macroparasites (helminths) in human remains from the Late Iron
Age (3rd-1st c. BCE) in northern Italy (Verona province).
Materials: Pelvic soil samples and control samples from the skull or foot areas of 55 individuals from the
necropolises of Seminario Vescovile (n =45) and Povegliano Veronese (n =10).
Methods: All samples were examined using brightfield optical microscopy. In addition, soil samples from 10
individuals from Seminario were analysed through paleogenetic methods in order to complement the microscopic
analysis.
Results: Thirty Ascaridida eggs in pelvic samples from 6 individuals (3 from Seminario and 3 from Povegliano:
6.7 % and 30 % of the respective samples) were evaluated. Evidence of roundworm infection was observed in
both sexes and in adults and non-adult individuals.
Conclusion: The presence of Ascaridida, likely Ascaris sp., eggs at both sites suggests that ineffective sanitation
may have contributed to parasite exposure in these Late Iron Age communities.
Significance: This study provides novel insights into environmental and health risks among Iron Age communities.
It also highlights the need for a critical assessment of taphonomic factors and sampling procedures when
interpreting paleoparasitological data.
Limitations: The low frequency of identified eggs and the absence of recoverable parasite DNA at Seminario
highlight taphonomic factors as a potential source of bias. The limited sample size from Povegliano also warrants
caution in interpretation.
Suggestions for further research: Future studies integrating paleoparasitological and anthropological data are
essential to evaluate the prevalence of parasitic infections in Iron Age populations from the Italian Peninsula.},
organization = {Swiss National Science Foundation Grant (Grant Number: 10531FL_197103/1)},
organization = {Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Alto Adige—Department of Innovation, Research, University and Museums (Funding Decree n.9/
2021)},
publisher = {Elsevier},
keywords = {Paleoparasitology},
keywords = {Hygienic conditions},
keywords = {Cenomani},
keywords = {Italian peninsula},
keywords = {La Tène},
keywords = {Ascaridida},
title = {Paleoparasitological evidence of helminth infections in individuals from two Late Iron Age necropolises in Northern Italy (3rd-1st c. BCE)},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2025.08.001},
author = {López-Gijón, Ramón and Laffranchi, Zita and Teegen, Wolf-Rüdiger and Le Bailly, Matthieu and Duras, Salvatore and Roche, Kévin and Vitali, Daniele and Salzani, Luciano and Zink, Albert},
}