Ancient Romans Guarding Hadrian's Wall Were Riddled with Worms and Parasites

"Ancient Romans in Britain were riddled with intestinal parasites that spread through human feces. A new analysis of the sewer system at Vindolanda, a Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall, found that residents in ancient times were infected with at least three gut parasitesroundworm, whipworm and Giardia duodenalis. Roundworms and whipworms both live in the intestine and cause various ailments, including abdominal pain, nausea, fever and diarrhea."

"Giardia duodenalis, meanwhile, is not a worm but a tiny organism that lives primarily inside the small intestine. It exists in two formscysts and trophozoitesand causes giardiasis, an illness that causes severe diarrhea and makes it harder for the body to absorb vital nutrients. It is also spread through human waste. For the analysis, published in the journal Parasitology, researchers looked at 50 sediment samples taken from the drain of a third-century latrine at the fort."

Fifty sediment samples from the drain of a third-century latrine at Vindolanda contained evidence of intestinal parasites. About 28 percent of samples contained whipworm or roundworm eggs, and other samples showed traces of Giardia duodenalis; a first-century sample also contained worms. Roundworms can reach 30 centimeters, while whipworms are smaller. Giardia exists as cysts and trophozoites and causes giardiasis, which produces severe diarrhea and impairs nutrient absorption. Transmission occurs when people ingest food or water contaminated with human feces. Fecal contamination likely affected the fort’s drinking water and hygiene practices were insufficient; effective treatments were limited in that period.

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