Modern strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the Americas are closely related to those from Europe, supporting the assumption that human tuberculosis was introduced post-contact1. This notion, however, is incompatible with archaeological evidence of pre-contact tuberculosis in the New World2. Comparative genomics of modern isolates suggests that M. tuberculosis attained its worldwide distribution following human dispersals out of Africa during the Pleistocene epoch3, although this has yet to be confirmed with ancient calibration points. Here we present three 1,000-year-old mycobacterial genomes from Peruvian human skeletons, revealing that a member of the M. tuberculosis complex caused human disease before contact. The ancient strains are distinct from known human-adapted forms and are most closely related to those adapted to seals and sea lions. Two independent dating approaches suggest a most recent common ancestor for the M. tuberculosis complex less than 6,000 years ago, which supports a Holocene dispersal of the disease. Our results implicate sea mammals as having played a role in transmitting the disease to humans across the ocean.

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Archaeological research documents major technological shifts among people who have lived in the southern tip of South America (South Patagonia) during the last thirteen millennia, including the development of marine-based economies and changes in tools and raw materials. It has been proposed that movements of people spreading culture and technology propelled some of these shifts, but these hypotheses have not been tested with ancient DNA. Here we report genome-wide data from 20 ancient individuals, and co-analyze it with previously reported data. We reveal that immigration does not explain the appearance of marine adaptations in South Patagonia. We describe partial genetic continuity since ~6600 BP and two later gene flows correlated with technological changes: one between 4700–2000 BP that affected primarily marine-based groups, and a later one impacting all <2000 BP groups. From ~2200–1200 BP, mixture among neighbors resulted in a cline correlated to geographic ordering along the coast.

In this note, organic remains identified as a canid coprolite were examined. The material was dated at 6540 +/- 110 B.P.; it was collected in the Perito Moreno National Park, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Paleoparasitological analysis was performed following standard procedures. Coprolite fragments were rehydrated in a trisodium phosphate aqueous solution and subjected to spontaneous sedimentation for microscope analysis. Eggs of nematodes identified as Trichuris sp., Capillaria sp., Uncinaria sp., and an ascaridid (probably Toxascaris sp.) or spirurids (presumably Physaloptera sp.), plus a cestode (Anoplocephalidae), presumably Moniezia sp., were found.

The objective of this paper is to present the first steps into the study of health in southern Patagonia during pre and post Native-European contact. Thus, our work has a double purpose. First, to discuss characteristics and relevance of human bone records of southern Patagonia, in order to study health in a population context. Second, to show some new lines of information, which include paleoparasitology, nutritional paleopathologies, and the study of lifestyles from human remains. In this context, we have started working on the first Spanish settlement "Nombre de Jesus", founded in 1584, and with historical documentation of "La Candelaria" Mission in Rio Grande (1896-1931)

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Life in the past can be reconstructed by applying different tools of science to understand ancient events. Combined, these tools offer well sustainable data to base and test hypothesis as they are obtained from different fields of science (Walker 1996). The study of bioanthropology in Southern Patagonia has the contribution of History, Archaeology, Anthropology, and Biology. Paleoparasitology emerged as a branch of Paleopathology and aims the study of parasites found in archaeological and paleontological material. Parasites have been found in coprolites, latrine sediments, mummified tissues, hairs, and many other organic remains (Bouchet et al. 2003a). Sediment associated with skeletons has been less explored than other organic remains in the search for parasites. Latrine and soil sediment recovered from latrines and soil occupied by ancient human populations are the most common examined and studied material (Pike 1968, Moore 1981, Bouchet 1995, Bouchet et al. 1999, 2002, Taek Han et al. 2003, Fernandes et al. 2005; shell middens (Bathurst 2005), artifacts (Harter et al. 2003), and skeleton remains (Aspöck et al. 1996, Bouchet et al. 2001, Dittmar & Teejen 2003 are less studied. Parasite remains are supposed to disperse and be lost in sediments. This is the case of Patagonian steppe sandy sediments submitted to hydric and thermal environmental conditions influencing parasite egg preservation in the soil.Otherwise, sediment collected inside skeletons may offer opportunities to assay paleoepidemiological studies. Skeletons are more commonly found than coprolites, and sex and age can be more easily inferred. Therefore, associated with calibrated dating and well archaeologically and geographically located, skeletons allow obtaining data to associate parasite findings with the human host. Population studies may be approached as far as more skeletons are analyzed.Sediments have been analyzed with paleoparasitological techniques, modified from Stoll technique (Jones 1988, Taek Han et al. 2003, spontaneous sedimentations (Faulkner et al. 2000, Fernandes et al. 2005, sedimentation-flotation (Bouchet 1995, Bouchet et al. 1999, 2001, and combining sedimentation and palynological technique (Reinhard et al. 1992, Dittmar & Teejen 2003. To understand and interpret correctly parasite finds in sediments of each locality of an archaeological site careful analysis is needed (Reinhard 1988). Even though, to better understand the meaning of parasite finds in archaeological sites frequencies must be achieved comparing parasite finds. Therefore, the study of parasites in archaeological sediments requires the use of quantitative techniques to compare the findings of parasites in different samples and controls.We strongly reinforce that this kind of archaeological deposit is very important and the data obtained can be improved combining careful sediment in situ extraction method with quantitative paleoparasitological techniques adapted to this kind of material. We have tested techniques used and recommend a slight modification that im...

RESUMENEn este trabajo se presenta la secuencia completa de ADN mitocondrial, obtenida a partir de restos óseos de un hombre adulto, hallado en el sitio Cañadón Misioneros (provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina), con una antigüedad de 70 ± 30 años antes del presente. La secuencia corresponde al haplogrupo (hg) D4h3a5, nativo de América y exclusivo del sur de Patagonia, donde ha sido descripto tanto en muestras antiguas como actuales. Esta secuencia constituye el primer dato de ADN mitocondrial en la costa atlántica de Patagonia con la resolución suficiente para definir a nivel de subhaplogrupo. Se discuten las implicancias en cuanto a los vínculos biológicos de las poblaciones que habitaron esa porción del espacio patagónico en el marco de la información genética y arqueológica disponible.PALABRAS CLAVE: ADN mitocondrial, ADN antiguo, Nativos Americanos FIRST COMPLETE MITOCHONDRIAL GENOME SEQUENCE FROM HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS OF THE COAST OF SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA ABSTRACTWe describe the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of an adult male skeleton, discovered at Cañadón Misioneros (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina), and dated 70 ± 30 years before present. The DNA sequence corresponded to haplogroup D4h3a5, native to the Americas and exclusive to the south of Patagonia, where it has been observed both in ancient and present-day individuals. This is the first mitochondrial DNA data of the Atlantic coast of Patagonia of sufficient