Earliest evidence of spinal tuberculosis from the Aneolithic Yayoi period in Japan

Abstract

Tuberculosis has existed from early prehistoric days to modern times. The main causative agents of tuberculosis worldwide are Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) and M. bovis, along with M. africanum, M. cenettii and M. microti; these species make up the 'M. tuberculosis complex'. This worldwide infection has been of special interest to palaeopathologists due to its characteristic bone lesions as well as its great antiquity. Historically, tuberculosis has been recognised in Japan for more than a thousand years. However, the origin and early prevalence of tuberculosis remain unknown. In the present study, we present the earliest evidence of skeletal tuberculosis found in the Aneolithic Yayoi period in Japan (ca. 300 BC to AD 300). The skeletal remains showing typical pathological changes of spinal tuberculosis were dated to between 454 BC and AD 124 by dendrochronological methods using coburied arrow-shield board and house columns made of Japanese cedar. We discuss the early prevalence of this infectious disease and its influence on the population history of the Japanese from prehistoric to Aneolithic times.

Brief communication: New evidence of tuberculosis from prehistoric Korea—Population movement and early evidence of tuberculosis in far East Asia

“…Another possible case of tuberculosis from China was described in a female cadaver from the Western Han Dynasty dated to 200 BC (Hunan Medical Institute, 1980). The oldest cases of tuberculosis discovered so far in Japan were two cases with both spinal and rib lesions dated between 454 BC and AD 124, which strongly suggest that tuberculosis first appeared in Japan during the Aneolithic ''Yayoi'' period, probably transmitted by immigrants from the Korean peninsula to Japan (Suzuki, 1991;Suzuki and Inoue, 2007).…”

“…However, the following pathological conditions should be considered in the differential diagnosis (1) nonspecific pyogenic inflammation as a result of severe trauma or destructive spinal osteomyelitis; (2) brucellosis; and (3) fungal infections including blastomycosis. Among the conditions that may lead to collapsed vertebrae, destruction of several adjacent vertebrae, spine angulation, and paravertebral abscesses, nonspecific pyogenic inflammation may be relatively common while the other two conditions are rare in East Asia as already discussed by the authors (Suzuki and Inoue, 2007). Nonspecific inflammation or destructive spinal osteomyelitis is difficult to differentiate from tuberculosis of the spine.…”

Turkish and Japanese Mycobacterium tuberculosis sublineages share a remote common ancestor

“…Türk empire 5th-7th century AD (1,600-1,400 y ago); early Islam empires 7th-12 th (1,400-900 y ago); Mongol empire emerging around 1250 AD (750 y ago) (Sinor, 1990) C-Japan colonization and potential epidemic (Suzuki, 2007) Y-chromosom haplogroups D and C mostly present in Tibet and Mongolia colonized Japan around 20,000 and 7,000 y ago (Hammer, 2006;Tajima, 2004;Wang, 2014) Jomon culture = Hunter Gatherers thrived in Japan and built Jomon culture more than 12,000 y ago (Hammer, 2006) (Sinor, 1990) …”

Severe vertebral collapse in a juvenile from the graveyard (13th/14th–19th centuries) of the São Miguel church (Castelo Branco, Portugal): differential palaeopathological diagnosis

“…In fact, skeletons presenting analogous morphological features to those described for our case are documented extensively on palaeopathological literature (Roberts & Buikstra, 2003) where spinal tuberculosis is stated as the most probable etiology. After the in-depth revision of past tuberculosis skeletal evidence made by Roberts & Buikstra (2003), and until the present, further possible cases of tuberculous spondylitis were announced such as those by Mays & Taylor (2003), Saso et al (2004), Tayles & Buckley (2004), Weber et al (2004), Marcsik et al (2006), Suzuki & Inoue (2007) and Suzuki et al (2008). In addition, evidence from biomolecular methods confirmed some of these reported cases as being positive for the presence of mycobacterial DNA (e.g.…”