Incan mummy frozen after human sacrifice still has infection in lungs after 500 years - giving new insight into diseases of the past

By ROB WAUGH

Maiden of the mountain: A 500-year-old frozen Incan mummy known as was suffering from a bacterial infection when she died - and being able to 'diagnose' the disease could lead to new insights into diseases of the past

A 500-year-old frozen Incan mummy known as 'The Maiden' was suffering from a bacterial infection when she died - and being able to 'diagnose' the disease could lead to new insights into diseases of the past.
The discovery could help defend against new illnesses - or the re-emergence of diseases of the past.
The mummy was suffering from an illness similar to tuberculosis when she was sacrificed on the Argentinian volcano Llullaillaco, 22,100 feet above sea level.
The find - using a new technique of swabbing the lips and comparing the swabs with those of current patients - is the first time a disease has been 'diagnosed' in such an ancient body.

The view from the summit of Llullaillaco volcano where the children where found

‘Pathogen detection in ancient tissues isn't new, but until now it's been impossible to say whether the infectious agent was latent or active,’ says Corthals.
‘Our technique opens a new door to solving some of history's biggest mysteries, such as the reasons why the flu of 1918 was so devastating. It will also enhance our understanding of our future's greatest threats, such as the emergence of new infectious agents or re-emergence of known infectious diseases.’
The analysis was possible because of the incredible preservation of the mummy, which is so well-preserved there were still lice in her hair.

The find - using a new technique of swabbing the lips and comparing the swabs with those of current patients - is the first time a disease has been 'diagnosed' in such an ancient body

The team swabbed the lips of two Andean Inca mummies, buried at 22,000-feet elevation and originally discovered in 1999, and compared the proteins they found to large databases of the human genome.
They found that the protein profile from the mummy of a 15-year old girl, called ‘The Maiden,’ was similar to that of chronic respiratory infection patients, and the analysis of the DNA showed the presence of probably pathogenic bacteria in the genus Mycobacterium, responsible for upper respiratory tract infections and tuberculosis.

The place of sacrifice: The burial site of the 3 children on top of Llullaillaco Volcano.

In addition, X-rays of the lungs of the Maiden showed signs of lung infection at the time of death.
The mummies were found in 1999.
‘The doctors have been shaking their heads and saying they sure don't look 500 years old but as if they'd died a few weeks ago,’ said U.S. archaeologist and expedition member Johan Reinhard at the time.
‘And a chill went down my spine the first time I saw her hands because they look like those of a person who is alive.’

One of the children found on the summit of Llullaillaco volcano

It's thought that the children were chosen by the Incas for their beauty and sacrificed in a ceremony called a capacocha.
‘The Incas didn't do this very often,’ according to Reinhard.
‘The sacrifices were children because they were considered to be the most pure.’
They were not sacrificed to feed or appease the gods but, rather, ‘to enter the realm of the gods and live in paradise with them. It was considered a great honour, a transition to a better life from which they would be expected to remain in contact with the community through shamans (holy men)’.

source :dailymail