Tuberculosis in mummies - New findings, perspectives and limitations

Area of Science:

• Paleogenetics
• Paleomicrobiology
• Infectious Disease Evolution

Background:

• Ancient pathogen DNA analysis, particularly of tuberculosis (TB), provides insights into historical infectious diseases.
• Early detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex DNA relied on PCR assays targeting specific genetic regions like IS6110.
• High-throughput sequencing has advanced paleomicrobiology, enabling full ancient TB genome reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present findings on TB infections in 18th-century Hungarian mummified remains.
• To discuss the current status of MTB complex DNA detection in mummified human remains.
• To explore future perspectives in paleogenetic TB detection, including methodological, ethical, and curational challenges.

Main Methods:

• Molecular analysis of ancient pathogen DNA from human remains.
• Targeted PCR assays for specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex regions (e.g., IS6110).
• High-throughput sequencing for full ancient TB genome reconstruction (where applicable).

Main Results:

• Mummified human remains are a valuable source for detecting MTB complex DNA due to preservation and low contamination.
• Study presents findings on TB presence in 18th-century mummies from Vác, Hungary.
• Full genome-wide reconstructions of ancient TB are still limited, despite advances.

Conclusions:

• Mummies offer a promising avenue for paleogenetic studies of tuberculosis.
• Further research is needed to overcome limitations in full ancient TB genome reconstruction.
• Methodological, ethical, and curational aspects are crucial for future paleomicrobiological studies of TB.