The unique arid and cold environment of the Andes, combined with high-class ancient burial rituals about 1,000 years ago, created the best conditions for preservation. Mummies nature. From clothing to meals before death, everything helps archaeologists better understand the lives of ancient people.
Andean mummies is considered the best preservation, a starting point to explore microbiological changes in the human body over time. Samples were taken from the abdomen of a female mummy, discovered in Peru, dating from 980-1170 AD. Scientists were able to analyze microorganisms inside the body and find the cause. cause of death.
Interestingly, they found that these bacteria contained genes related to antibiotics, suggesting that this trait existed before antibiotics were used in treatment. This finding was published in the journal PLOS One.
This mummy was originally discovered in the Incan city of Cuzco in Peru and then transported to Italy in the second half of the 19th century. The woman is believed to have died when she was just 20 years old, tied in a sleeping position. fetus, placed in a basket, with only her face and part of her hand exposed. Due to the cold, arid environment around Cuzco, although the head is dry, the rest of the body remains intact.
When proceeding mummy examination, people discovered some clues about the cause of this young woman’s death. Tin, her esophagus and colon were distended, especially the colon containing a large amount of “collar feces” – all of these signs pointed to chronic Chagas disease. This is a disease caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, currently spreading in the southern United States and affecting about 7 million people worldwide. After analyzing DNA from the sample, they finally identified the Trypanosoma sequence in the mummy, confirming previous suspicions.
However, what surprised the researchers most was the discovery of recognized antibiotic genes, such as penicillin-binding proteins that help remove compounds from cells and proteins that transport multiple antibiotics.
The results of this study show that, before the widespread use of antibiotics, the genes necessary for bacteria to tolerate antibiotics existed in microorganisms for a long time. Although modern treatments may have increased their dominance, initial resistance to antibiotics was not necessarily caused by them.
* The article title has been edited