Published 2016-01-08 15:15
Ötzi lived in the Alps for over 5,000 years ago.
Ismannen Ötzi bar in the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and may have suffered from stomach ulcers. At the same time reveals the microorganism that he may have Asian origins.
The Iceman Ötzi bar on the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and may have suffered from stomach ulcers. At the same time reveals the microorganism that he may have Asian origins.
The 5300 years old mummy found frozen into the glacier in the Ötztal Alps, between Italy and Austria 25 years ago.
A survey of stomach contents shows that he was carrying the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can cause ulcers and other stomach problems. The finding supports the theory that bacteria has infected humans for thousands of years.
Ad:
Although it was the find as a surprise.
– We thought that it was extremely unlikely that we would find anything because Ötzis stomach lining no longer exists, says paleopatologen Albert Zink at the European Academy of Bozen-Bolzano, according to The Independent.
It is unclear whether Ötzi also suffered from stomach ulcers. To determine this, researchers would need to have access to the gastric mucosa and not just the content.
Modern Europeans bears usually seen on Helicobacter pylori strains originating from North Africa, but in Ötzis cases the bacteria are rather related to Asian strains. This may indicate that he is Asian descent.
If Ötzis stomach contents would be typical of the people who lived in Europe for 5300 years ago, the results can transform the image of the great migrations, say the researchers behind the study, published in Science magazine.
– We can now say that the waves of migration that brought the African Helicobacter pylori strains in Europe had not taken place, or at least not taken place in earnest, when the Iceman lived, says researcher Yoshan Moodley at the University of Venda in South Africa to The Guardian.
Roughly half of all living people carry Helicobacter pylori.
No comments:
Post a Comment