Objective

This study was designed to search for ancient parasites in abdominal content and coprolites from Bolivian mummies.

Materials

Twelve mummified individuals from the Andean highlands, housed at the National Museum of Archaeology (MUNARQ) in La Paz, Bolivia.

Methods

Microscopic analysis of rehydrated samples (coprolites and abdominal content), following Lutz's spontaneous sedimentation technique.

Results

Eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were identified in coprolites from one mummy, and capillariid eggs in the organic abdominal content from another individual.

Conclusions

This is the first evidence of ancient intestinal parasites in Bolivian mummies.

Significance

This pioneering study focused on the search of ancient intestinal parasites in human remains of the Bolivian Andes and contributes to greater knowledge of paleoparasitology in South America.

Limitations

All mummies in the MUNARQ belonged to the Andean Bolivian highlands (post-Tiwanaku era or Late Intermediate Period), although the exact provenance of the material and the associated contexts are not well recorded.

Suggestions for further research

Considering the great number of well-known archaeological sites and other unexplored sites in Bolivia, in addition to large collections in museums, further paleopathological and paleoparasitological molecular studies in mummies and skeletons are called for.

中文翻译：

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来自玻利维亚的前哥伦布时期木乃伊中蠕虫感染和毛细管虫卵的首次报告：对古寄生虫学研究的贡献。

客观的

本研究旨在寻找玻利维亚木乃伊腹部内容物和粪化石中的古代寄生虫。

材料

来自安第斯高地的十二具木乃伊，收藏在玻利维亚拉巴斯的国家考古博物馆 (MUNARQ)。

方法

使用 Lutz 的自发沉淀技术对再水化样品（粪粪石和腹部内容物）进行显微分析。

结果

在一具木乃伊的粪便中发现了蛲虫卵，在另一具木乃伊的有机腹部内容物中发现了毛细管虫卵。

结论

这是玻利维亚木乃伊中古代肠道寄生虫的第一个证据。

意义

这项开创性研究的重点是在玻利维亚安第斯山脉的人类遗骸中寻找古代肠道寄生虫，并有助于加深对南美洲古寄生虫学的了解。

限制

MUNARQ 中的所有木乃伊都属于安第斯玻利维亚高地（后蒂瓦纳库时代或晚期中期），尽管材料的确切来源和相关背景没有得到很好的记录。

进一步研究的建议

考虑到玻利维亚有大量著名的考古遗址和其他未开发的遗址，除了博物馆中的大量藏品外，还需要对木乃伊和骨骼进行进一步的古病理学和古寄生虫学分子研究。