Miasmatic Historical Tidbits from Regular Medicine

[AH]

TB May Have Wiped Out
Leprosy In Europe
Middle Ages

Abandoned Bones Suggest TB Wiped Out
Leprosy in Europe Middle Ages
University College of London
5-24-5
The spread of tuberculosis may have killed off leprosy in Europe in the
Middle Ages, according to research published in the latest issue of the
Royal Society Proceedings B.
A collaborative study led by University College London (UCL) scientists,
following the discovery of a shrouded body in a sealed chamber overlooked by
tomb robbers, found evidence of both diseases in a range of archaeological
remains dating from the 1st to the 15th centuries.
An initial examination of the body, currently under analysis in Israel,
revealed signs of co-infection of TB and leprosy in the bone tissue. The
collaborative team, led by Dr Helen Donoghue and Dr Mark Spigelman from
UCL's Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, went on to
identify co-infection in ancient bones around Europe, where the DNA of the
bacteria behind both diseases was detected in 42 per cent of the samples
examined.
In the Middle Ages leprosy was a widespread, much-feared disease which
unaccountably declined around the same time that tuberculosis began to
spread across Europe. TB went on to become a major long-term epidemic
disease, with one-third of the world's population now infected and more than
8 million new cases in the year 2000 alone.
Researchers now believe that the two trends were no coincidence. In fact,
the new findings suggest that TB overtook leprosy as the more aggressive,
faster-killing disease.
Dr Mark Spigelman says: "We stumbled across this discovery while examining a
shrouded body excavated by Israeli archaeologist Dr Shimon Gibson. The body
from around Jerusalem dated from the 1st century AD, when the normal burial
practice was to wrap it in a shroud, then return after a suitable time and
rebury the bones in an ossuary.
"In this case, the shrouded body had not been re-buried. We thought there
must have been a reason for this, so we decided to look for signs of leprosy
- a cause of fear and stigma at the time - in addition to the tuberculosis
which we had already found to be present.
Dr Helen Donoghue says: "After finding both diseases in the body, we
re-examined other samples from sites around ancient and mediaeval Europe and
realized that we were looking at a fairly common, previously unrecognised
phenomenon of co-infection.
"Scientists have previously speculated over whether cross-immunity might
have protected tuberculosis patients from leprosy. However, our findings
suggest a different explanation.
"A weakening of the immune system following infection by leprosy, coupled
with the stress, poverty and malnutrition associated with the social
isolation and stigma of living with the disease, could have paved the way
for opportunistic co-infection by TB which brought a speedier death. In time
this would reduce the number of individuals suffering from leprosy, leading
to its overall decline."
This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University College
London.
Patricia A. Doyle, PhD
Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message board at:
http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?
Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health

[Liz Hennel]

This is fascinating, Andy.
I have a vague recollection of a (history) lecture some years back, in which we were informed that the BCG vaccination was found to be poorly active against TB in certain countries - but more active against leprosy. This was quoted as being research from the WHO. As I remember it, it referred in the main to temperate climates, rather than hot countries. Clearly it was too controversial to be circulated widely - but isn't it interesting how the chickens do come home to roost eventually?
Liz

AH wrote:
TB May Have Wiped Out
Leprosy In Europe
Middle Ages

Abandoned Bones Suggest TB Wiped Out
Leprosy in Europe Middle Ages
University College of London
5-24-5
The spread of tuberculosis may have killed off leprosy in Europe in the
Middle Ages, according to research published in the latest issue of the
Royal Society Proceedings B.
A collaborative study led by University College London (UCL) scientists,
following the discovery of a shrouded body in a sealed chamber overlooked by
tomb robbers, found evidence of both diseases in a range of archaeological
remains dating from the 1st to the 15th centuries.
An initial examination of the body, currently under analysis in Israel,
revealed signs of co-infection of TB and leprosy in the bone tissue. The
collaborative team, led by Dr Helen Donoghue and Dr Mark Spigelman from
UCL's Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, went on to
identify co-infection in ancient bones around Europe, where the DNA of the
bacteria behind both diseases was detected in 42 per cent of the samples
examined.
In the Middle Ages leprosy was a widespread, much-feared disease which
unaccountably declined around the same time that tuberculosis began to
spread across Europe. TB went on to become a major long-term epidemic
disease, with one-third of the world's population now infected and more than
8 million new cases in the year 2000 alone.
Researchers now believe that the two trends were no coincidence. In fact,
the new findings suggest that TB overtook leprosy as the more aggressive,
faster-killing disease.
Dr Mark Spigelman says: "We stumbled across this discovery while examining a
shrouded body excavated by Israeli archaeologist Dr Shimon Gibson. The body
from around Jerusalem dated from the 1st century AD, when the normal burial
practice was to wrap it in a shroud, then return after a suitable time and
rebury the bones in an ossuary.
"In this case, the shrouded body had not been re-buried. We thought there
must have been a reason for this, so we decided to look for signs of leprosy
- a cause of fear and stigma at the time - in addition to the tuberculosis
which we had already found to be present.
Dr Helen Donoghue says: "After finding both diseases in the body, we
re-examined other samples from sites around ancient and mediaeval Europe and
realized that we were looking at a fairly common, previously unrecognised
phenomenon of co-infection.
"Scientists have previously speculated over whether cross-immunity might
have protected tuberculosis patients from leprosy. However, our findings
suggest a different explanation.
"A weakening of the immune system following infection by leprosy, coupled
with the stress, poverty and malnutrition associated with the social
isolation and stigma of living with the disease, could have paved the way
for opportunistic co-infection by TB which brought a speedier death. In time
this would reduce the number of individuals suffering from leprosy, leading
to its overall decline."
This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University College
London.
Patricia A. Doyle, PhD
Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message board at:
http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?
Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health
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