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Confirmation of the presence of Mycobacterium-tuberculosis complex-specific DNA in three archaeological specimens

Spigelman, M; Matheson, C; Lev, G; Greenbaltt, C; Donoghue, HD; (2002) Confirmation of the presence of Mycobacterium-tuberculosis complex-specific DNA in three archaeological specimens. INT J OSTEOARCHAEOL , 12 (6) 393 - 401. Green open access

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Abstract

This journal published the first reported identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTE) DNA in ancient human remains but CONCERNS were raised about the article two years after publication. These were based on methodology which, in the field of ancient DNA, was still developing. Here we present a re-examination of the 1993 research conducted on three specimens which exhibited palaeopathologies indicative of tuberculosis. The specimens were: an ulna from pre-European-contact Borneo, a spine from Byzantine Turkey, and a lumbar-sacral spine from 17th century Scotland. There was insufficient material to permit re-examination of all of the original samples. The earlier results were confirmed in two independent laboratories using different methodologies. MTB DNA complex-specific Dna amplicons were obtained, and sequenced in both laboratories, in a re-analysis of samples which supported the earlier findings.

Type: Article
Title: Confirmation of the presence of Mycobacterium-tuberculosis complex-specific DNA in three archaeological specimens
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Keywords: ancient DNA, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, PCR, POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION, ANCIENT BONE, REMAINS, INFECTION, PCR
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Infection and Immunity
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/3914
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