Leprosy in skeletons from archaeological sites: A systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is an ancient stigmatising infectious disease that remains endemic in many countries. Leprosy-related bone changes that cause disabilities in affected persons are evident in skeletons from archaeological sites. The aim of our synthesis of paleopathological data was to gain insights into the disease's historical distribution and presentation.

Methodology

Systematic review of paleopathological studies describing human remains with signs of leprosy published up to December 2023. Extracted data on bone features from skulls and limbs, including rhinomaxillary syndrome (RMS) in cranial bones and post-cranial bone changes (PCBC) in hands and feet, were summarised, together with genomic data from studies of Mycobacterium leprae ancient DNA.

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SUBMITTER: Aborghetti HP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12364322 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature