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Parasites as probes for prehistoric human migrations?
- Source :
- Trends in parasitology. 24(3)
- Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Host-specific parasites of humans are used to track ancient migrations. Based on archaeoparasitology, it is clear that humans entered the New World at least twice in ancient times. The archaeoparasitology of some intestinal parasites in the New World points to migration routes other than the Bering Land Bridge. Helminths have been found in mummies and coprolites in North and South America. Hookworms (Necator and Ancylostoma), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) and other helminths require specific conditions for life-cycle completion. They could not survive in the cold climate of the northern region of the Americas. Therefore, humans would have lost some intestinal parasites while crossing Beringia. Evidence is provided here from published data of pre-Columbian sites for the peopling of the Americas through trans-oceanic or costal migrations.
- Subjects :
- Archaeoparasitology
Survival
Climate
Helminthiasis
Emigrants and Immigrants
Beringia
Host-Parasite Interactions
Prehistory
Helminths
parasitic diseases
Animals
Humans
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic
biology
Human migration
business.industry
Ecology
Land bridge
Paleontology
biology.organism_classification
Infectious Diseases
Ancylostoma
Trichuris trichiura
Parasitology
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14714922
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Trends in parasitology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7f331bbfc55d2e6434db41360cc6704e