Vol. 28 No. 81 (2021): Antropología y pandemia
Diversas temáticas desde las disciplinas antropológicas

Paleopathological study of treponematoses in Mexico: a review

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  • Feliana Muñoz Reyes,
  • Lourdes Márquez Morfín

Published 2021-09-30 — Updated on 2022-02-13

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Keywords

  • Treponematosis, syphilis, Mexico, paleopathology, bioarchaeology.

How to Cite

Paleopathological study of treponematoses in Mexico: a review. (2022). Cuicuilco Revista De Ciencias Antropológicas, 28(81), 267-288. https://revistas.inah.gob.mx/index.php/cuicuilco/article/view/17132 (Original work published 2021)

Abstract

Numerous cases of treponematosis are documented in skeletal series around the world and there is indisputable evidence of its presence at archaeological sites in Mexico. However, most lesions caused by treponematosis are nonspecific, making their diagnosis difficult. With a view to contributing to research related to its origin and global distribution, 11 publications of skeletal series from pre-Hispanic and Colonial times in Mexico (which confirm treponematosis lesions), were evaluated to estimate the reliability of the diagnosis. The methodology was based on the analysis of historical, clinical and paleopathological characteristics to identify systems for the description and classification of lesions, using discriminating osteopathological criteria based on Harper’s proposal. The analysis confirms the presence of treponematosis in Mexico prior to 1493 in non-venereal variants and of syphilis in later times. Likewise, it demonstrates the use of nonspecific indicators, non-standardized terminology for the description of lesions, and the absence of a methodological description, thereby making interpretation and comparison between skeletal series difficult.

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