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Ancient pathogens in museal dry bone specimens: analysis of paleocytology and aDNA

Erreger in historischen Sammlungspräparaten: Analyse von Paläozytologie und alter DNA

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Summary

Bone samples investigated in this study derive from the pathologic–anatomical collection of the Natural History Museum of Vienna. In order to explore the survival of treponemes and treponemal ancient DNA in museal dry bone specimens, we analyzed three individuals known to have been infected with Treponema pallidum pallidum. No reproducible evidence of surviving pathogen’s ancient DNA (aDNA) was obtained, despite the highly sensitive extraction and amplification techniques (TPP15 and arp). Additionally, decalcification fluid of bone sections was smear stained with May-Gruenwald-Giemsa. The slides were examined using direct light microscope and dark field illumination. Remnants of spirochetal structures were detectable in every smear. Our results demonstrate that aDNA is unlikely to survive, but spirochetal remains are stainable and thus detectable.

Zusammenfassung

Die Knochenproben dieser Studie stammen aus der Pathologisch-anatomischen Sammlung des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. Um eine Aussage über den Erhalt von Treponemen und ihrer DNA in musealen Knochen treffen zu können, wurden drei Knochenpräparate von klinischen Syphilis Fällen untersucht. Trotz hochsensitiver Extraktions- und Amplifikationstechniken, konnte keine DNA des Syphiliserregers nachgewiesen werden. Zum zytologischen Nachweis von Treponemen, wurde Entkalkungsflüssigkeit der Knochenpräparate ausgestrichen und mit May-Grünwald-Giemsa gefärbt. Die Ausstriche wurden im Lichtmikroskop und im Dunkelfeld untersucht. Überreste von Strukturen mit großer Spirochäten Ähnlichkeit konnten in jedem Ausstrich in unterschiedlicher Ausprägung nachgewiesen werden. Obwohl der Nachweis der Erreger DNA nicht gelang, konnten Spirochäten Reste gefärbt und damit detektiert werden.

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  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Johanna Sophia Gaul

  2. Bone and Biomaterials Research, Center of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17/3, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Johanna Sophia Gaul &  Karl Grossschmidt

  3. Federal Pathologic-anatomical Collection Vienna, Spitalgasse 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Eduard Winter

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Gaul, J., Winter, E. & Grossschmidt, K. Ancient pathogens in museal dry bone specimens: analysis of paleocytology and aDNA. Wien Med Wochenschr 165, 133–139 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-015-0357-6

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