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Molecular evidence for different stages of tuberculosis in ancient bone samples from Hungary
Author(s) -
Haas Christian J.,
Zink Albert,
Molńar Erika,
Szeimies Ulrike,
Reischl Udo,
Marcsik Ant́onia,
Ardagna Yann,
Dutour Olivier,
Pálfi Gÿorgy,
Nerlich Andreas G.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/1096-8644(200011)113:3<293::aid-ajpa2>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - polymerase chain reaction , tuberculosis , mycobacterium tuberculosis complex , biology , primer (cosmetics) , mycobacterium tuberculosis , ancient dna , dna , genomic dna , gene , pathology , genetics , medicine , chemistry , population , environmental health , organic chemistry
This paleomicrobiologic study was conducted on osseous tissue specimens from ancient Hungarian skeletal samples from the 7–8th and the 17th centuries AD with typical macromorphologic evidence of osseous tuberculosis (n = 3), morphologic alterations probably due to tuberculosis (n = 6), or with nontypical osseous changes of vertebral bodies suggestive of inflammatory reaction (n = 5). From these bone samples, DNA was extracted and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using various primer pairs recognizing DNA segments of different mycobacterial species. To confirm specificity of the analysis, the amplification products of several samples were subjected to restriction enzyme digestion and/or direct sequencing. Of the analyzed 14 cases, 8 were unambiguously positive for mycobacterial DNA of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, as shown by the amplification of the IS6110 sequence. In 13 cases we found a PCR product with primers specific for the 65‐kDa antigen gene, including 2 cases without genomic DNA. We conclude that the application of other mycobacterial DNA primers may reveal contamination of bones with atypical saprophytic mycobacteria. A positive result for typical mycobacteria was seen in 2 of 3 cases with typical morphologic signs of tuberculosis and amplifiable DNA, in 3 of 6 probable cases, but also in 3 of 6 cases with nontypical bone changes. This indicates that minor osseous reactions of the surface of vertebral bodies may be due—at least in several cases—to infections with bacteria of the M. tuberculosis complex. In these cases the disease may have proceeded rapidly, and the morphologic osseous changes may represent “early” stages of tuberculous infection of the vertebrae. Am J Phys Anthropol 113:293–304, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.