Worm infestation in Britain

[guy]

Here is an interesting article that looked at the soil surrounding skeletons found in Britain. More specifically, they examined pelvic soil for intestinal parasites. 

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They tested a lot of individual skeletons. 464 human burials were examined from 17 sites, dating from the Bronze Age to the Industrial Revolution.

People In the Roman and the Late Medieval period fared the worst, with the highest rates of worm infection detected. The infection rates were similar to those seen in the most affected regions today.

The prevalence of intestinal helminths was investigated through time in England, based on analysis of 464 human burials from 17 sites, dating from the Prehistoric to Industrial periods. Eggs from two faecal-oral transmitted nematodes (Ascaris sp. and Trichuris sp.) and the food-derived cestodes (Taenia spp. and Diphyllobothrium latum syn Dibothriocephalus latus) were identified, although only Ascaris was detected at a high frequency.

 

 

 

Note: Ascaris was the most common intestinal parasite found. Ascaris is a type of parasitic roundworm and the infection is called ascariasis. It can grow to more than a foot (30 cm) long. Most people infected (85%) have few or no symptoms. It is not transmitted human to human. The person usually has to come in contact with soil that has been contaminated by pig or human feces. Children can get the infection by playing in contaminated dirt and not washing their hands. Unwashed fruits or vegetables in contaminated soil can also transmit the infection. Although the disease infects up to a billion people in the world, it is rare in developed nations. Ascariasis is considered a neglected tropical disease.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220421141542.htm

https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010312#

 

Here is a previous post about the parasite infection in Vindolanda:

 

 

Edited December 20, 2025 by guy