Title
Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Cyclospora in ancient Peruvians
Date Issued
01 January 2003
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Publisher(s)
American Society of Parasitologists
Abstract
Twenty-two coprolites of human origin, collected from excavations along the north-central coast of Peru, were examined using fluorescent microscopy for the presence of fecal parasites, with emphasis on Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia sp., and Cyclospora sp. Three samples were positive. One coprolite dated between ca. 2,375 and 1,525 BC contained Giardia sp. cysts. This coprolite corresponded to the Peruvian preceramic period. Another positive coprolite ca. AD 770-830 corresponded to Epoch 3 of the Middle Horizon and contained Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts. The third positive coprolite (corresponding to the Middle Horizon, ca. AD 500-900) contained Giardia sp. cysts. This report demonstrates that Giardia sp. and Cryptosporidium sp. were present in Peruvian coastal populations for at least 4,300 and 1,100 BP.
Start page
635
End page
636
Volume
89
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Parasitología
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-0038006223
PubMed ID
Source
Journal of Parasitology
ISSN of the container
00223395
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus