Aug. 20, 2009 -- The bones of an ancient hominin may hold evidence of the earliest known bacterial infection, according to a team of international researchers who diagnosed the skeleton with a disease called brucellosis. The discovery of the infection may provide insight into the eating habits of these early human ancestors. Consisting of eighteen mostly incomplete bones, the skeletal remains were found decades ago in the Sterkfontein caves near Johannesburg, South Africa. The partial skeleton, known as Stw 431, belonged to an adult individual -- probably a male -- of the late Pliocene hominin species Australopithecus africanus. Analysis of the 1.5 to 2.5 million-year-old bones showed that two vertebrae were dotted with lesions. A previous study concluded that the damage was caused by trauma. But Ruggero D'Anastasio, a palaeoanthropologist at the University "Gabriele d'Annunzio" in Chieti, Italy, and colleagues contend that the lesions are the result of an acute inflammatory process rather than a traumatic fracture. Related Content:
"After carefully evaluating all reasonable alternative hypotheses, we suggest that the position, gross morphology and the radiological appearance of the lesions... seem to be more consistent with the pathological condition of early brucellosis," the researchers wrote in the journal PLoS ONE. Brucellosis is a debilitating disease whose symptoms include recurrent fevers, joint pain, weakness and profuse sweating. Primarily found in animals such as sheep or goats, brucella is often contracted from unpasteurized milk and cheese. The disease is relatively rare today in developed countries, although it is still present in areas such as North Africa and the Middle East. "As for this Australopithecus africanus individual, the infective agent could have been Brucella abortus. Zebras, antelopes and other South African fauna can carry this bacterial species, which causes spontaneous abortion," D'Anastasio told Discovery News. According to the researcher, the hominin may have contracted brucellosis by eating fetal tissue from an infected animal. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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