Identification of Pathogens in Ancient Skeletal Series: The Malaria of the Medici Grand Dukes (Florence, XVI Century)
Authors
Gino Fornaciari
Division of Paleopathology, History of Medicine and Bioethics, Department of Oncology, Transplantation and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa
Valentina Giuffra
Division of Paleopathology, History of Medicine and Bioethics, Department of Oncology, Transplantation and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa
Raffaella Bianucci
Criminal Sciences Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Pharmacology and Forensic Medicine, University of Turin & UMR 6578 CNRSEFS (Biocultural Anthropology), University of Marseille, F
Keywords:
Malaria , Medici , Renaissance , Bone samples
Abstract
The application of paleoimmunological techniques on ancient human bone tissue allowed the identification of ancient pathogens, such as malaria by Plasmodium falciparum. Until now the immunocromatographic tests were applied only on mummified muscle. In this study positive results were obtained using ancient spongy bone samples belonging to the skeletal remains of four members of the Medici family of Florence who, according to archive data, died of malaria: Eleonora di Toledo (1522-1562), Giovanni (1543-1562) and don Garzia (1547-1562), and the Grand Duke Francesco I (1531-1587). These results are of particular interest not only because they confirm the historical data, but also because they demonstrate that immunological tests can be applied to bone samples, opening new paths of research for the screening of large skeletal series.
