"Royal" pediculosis in Renaissance Italy: lice in the mummy of the King of Naples Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496)

Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Gino Fornaciari²  Valentina Giuffra²  Silvia Marinozzi¹  Malayka Samantha Picchi¹  Massimo Masetti¹ 

[1] ,Division of Paleopathology, History of Medicine and Bioethics Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine

关键词: Pediculus capitis;    Pthirus pubis;    mercury;    Italy;    XV century;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0074-02762009000400026

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Pediculosis seems to have afflicted humans since the most ancient times and lice have been found in several ancient human remains. Examination of the head hair and pubic hair of the artificial mummy of Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496), King of Naples, revealed a double infestation with two different species of lice, Pediculus capitis, the head louse, and Pthirus pubis, the pubic louse. The hair samples were also positive for the presence of mercury, probably applied as an anti-pediculosis therapy. This is the first time that these parasites have been found in the hair of a king, demonstrating that even members of the wealthy classes in the Renaissance were subject to louse infestation.

【 授权许可】

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