Giardia, a single-cell parasite, has been a long-standing problem for humans worldwide. However, tracing the origins and movements of pathogens is a challenging task. While some intestinal parasites can be preserved for centuries in the ground, others like giardia disintegrate quickly and cannot be detected under a microscope (SN: 2/2/22). In 1991 and 2019, archeologists discovered stone toilet seats in the remains of mansion-like homes in Jerusalem. These toilets were used by wealthy individuals, according to Piers Mitchel, a paleoparasitologist at the University of Cambridge. Soil samples taken from beneath the seats of these toilets revealed traces of roundworm and other possible intestinal parasites when viewed under a microscope. Mitchel and his team used antibodies to search for the remains of giardia and two other fragile parasites in the decomposed feces under both seats, building on the previous analysis.
2023-05-25 18:00:00
Article from www.sciencenews.org