Palaeopathology in Bone Microstructure: Investigating Treponematosis in the Pacific

Abstract

The histological examination of treponematosis (i.e. yaws, syphilis, bejel) in archaeological human remains has previously been limited to the identification of features used to diagnose the early stages of disease. This paper will present the findings of my research which sought to extend the current understanding of treponematosis histomorphology across the full spectrum of disease progression. Additionally, I explored how histomorphometry and quantitative analysis can inform the palaeohistopathology of infectious disease.  
The examination of 64 adults from an archaeological site in Taumako, Solomon Islands (~440-150bp) identified significant morphological changes to bone microstructure in response to treponematosis, particularly in those individuals with advanced presentations of disease progression. The histomorphometric analysis also identified significant (p<0.001) reduction in vascularity and increased porosity in the bone of those diagnosed with treponematosis, with an intra-individual comparison confirming these changes in bone remodelling were a localised skeletal response. The findings of this study propose a sequence of disease progression within bone microstructure, and demonstrate the value of histomorphometry in identifying nuanced changes in bone remodelling and porosity in the palaeohistopathology of treponematosis and more widely in infectious disease. 

About the Presenters

Dr. Karen Cooke

Karen is a postdoctoral research fellow in the UQ School of Social Science, investigating the effects of pathology on bone microstructure in archaeological human remains. She recently completed her PhD at the ANU (2024), which focused on the palaeohistopathology of treponematosis in the Solomon Islands. Her previous research has also included projects on dental anthropology, and the mitochondrial genomics of Aboriginal Australians as a part of the Genographic Project.