Treponematosis and Lyme borreliosis connections: Explanation for Tchefuncte disease syndromes?

Abstract

A convergence of evidence from macroscopic, radiographic and histologic examination indicates that treponemal infection was present in the 16ST1 Tchefuncte Indian burial population, dated 500 B.C. to 300 A.D. Pattern and nature of lesions suggests that chronic infection induced by variants of the spirochete Treponema pallidum, causing endemic syphilis and/or yaws, resulted in third-stage osseous response. It is suggested that Tchefuncte Indians acquired partial immunity to treponemal infection by exposure to a variant of the related spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Partial immunity would help explain the relatively mild expression of the treponemal disease process in the 16ST1 skeletal population and the apparent absence of venereal syphilis. Presence of the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete might be linked to a single incidence of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Treponemal disease in the middle Archaic to early Woodland periods of the western Tennessee River Valley

“…The hunter-collector-with-pottery Tchefuncte Indians (500 BC-300 AD) of Louisiana (Walthal, 1990) are socioeconomically analogous to the Early Woodland horizon of Ledbetter Landing. Although the fragmentary nature of the remains from the Tchefuncte sample from the 16ST1 3/58 site prevents direct comparisons, the sample is described as displaying a ''high rate'' and a mild expression of inflammation consistent with treponemal disease (Lewis, 1994). Saber tibiae are present.…”

Prehistoric juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in a precontact Louisiana Native population reconsidered

“…If other researchers wish to exercise greater caution and refer to all these pathological conditions as JCA, the author has no problem with that preference. Whether JRA or JCA is the more appropriate designation, the hypothesis stated by Lewis (1994b) is independent of the designation preferred for skeletal pathological conditions evident in 16ST1-14883b and is still offered as a testable hypothesis to those interested in the history of disease and its capacity for informing on contemporary disease problems. …”

“…The deep groove on the right patella suggests long-standing restriction of movement and a habitual flexed position of the right leg (Lewis, 1994b). This groove is not present in other individuals in the burial population, for instance, a large male (Fig.…”

“…Thus it should not be surprising that normal individuals have antibodies that can bind to B. burgdorferi even though that person may never have been exposed to LD (Lyme Disease), perhaps produced in response to other spirochetes or to gut flora.'' What was hypothesized by Lewis (1994b) was the reverse of this process, that B. burgdorferi provided partial immunity to other spirochetes. A later report lends support to this hypothesis, referring to the close relationship of T. pallidum and B. burgdorferi.…”

“…In only eight cases out of the 51 proveniences examined, including 14883a and 14883b, was an indication found of two people within a burial. Examination of pathological conditions evident in this collection (Lewis, 1991b(Lewis, , 1994b suggested the prevalence of mild forms of treponematosis, as well as the presence of conditions such as ear exostoses and mild forms of iron deficiency anemia; one probable case of JRA was discerned. In addition to human bone, the middens contained bone representing 40 vertebrate taxa (a minimum number of individuals of 256) with white-tailed deer comprising approximately 59% of the faunal assemblage total and 90% of the worked animal bone total (Lewis, 1997).…”