A possible case of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis? Differential diagnosis in a rare case from the Late Antiquity Bavaria (Germany)

Schultz, Michael; Weber, Martina; Schmidt-Schultz, Tyede H.; Dorn, Juliane; Zink, Albert; Nerlich, Andreas

doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.05.005

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…In populations that practiced artificial embalming, more cases, or even small case series, of infant mummy analyses are available, such as in Egypt (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26) and South America (27, 28). Infant mummies from Europe have been available much more rarely (29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36). This seems to be due to the scarce practice of artificial embalming in Europe.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adipositas and metabolic bone disorder in a 16th century Upper Austrian infant crypt mummy—An interdisciplinary palaeopathological insight into historical aristocratic life

Nerlich

Panzer²,

Wimmer³

et al. 2022

Front. Med.

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We describe here the results of a multidisciplinary study on an infant mummy from 16th century Upper Austria buried in the crypt of the family of the Counts of Starhemberg. The macroscopic-anthropological, radiological (whole-body CT scan), histological (skin tissue), and radiocarbon isotope investigations suggested a male infant of 10–18 months' age, most likely dying between 1550 and 1635 CE (probably Reichard Wilhelm, 1625–1626 CE), that presented with evidence of metabolic bone disease with significant bilateral flaring of costochondral joints resembling “rachitic rosary” of the ribs, along with straight long bones and lack of fractures or subperiosteal bleeding residues. Although incompletely developed, the osteopathology points toward rickets, without upper or lower extremities long bone deformation. The differential diagnosis is vitamin C deficiency (scurvy) (also with an incomplete presentation, although overlap between both disorders may be present). As additional pathology, there was significantly enlarged subcutaneous fat tissue (thickness more than 1 cm at the navel and thighs and longitudinal creases of the skin) along with a histologically enlarged subcutaneous fat layer consistent with infantile adipositas as a coincident disorder. Finally, remnants of lung tissue with pleural adhesion of the right lung indicate possibly lethal pneumonia, a disease with an increased prevalence in vitamin D deficient infants. Ultimately, the skull presented with extensive destruction of the bones of the base and dislocation of the bones of the skull squama. These changes, however, are most likely post-mortal pseudopathology, the result of a burial in a flat, narrow coffin because there were no bone fractures or residues of bleeding/tissue reaction that would have occurred whilst the patient was alive.

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