Comparison of Helminth Infection among the Native Populations of the Arctic and Subarctic Areas in Western Siberia Throughout History: Parasitological Researches on Contemporary and the Archaeological Resources

Abstract

The aim of this parasitological study is examining contemporary (the late 20th century) specimens of the arctic or subarctic areas in Western Siberia and comparing them with the information acquired from archaeological samples from the same area. In the contemporary specimens, we observed the parasite eggs of 3 different species: <i>Opisthochis</i> <i>felineus</i>, <i>Ascaris</i> <i>lumbricoides</i>, and <i>Enterobius</i> <i>vermicularis</i>. Meanwhile, in archaeoparasitological results of Vesakoyakha, Kikki-Akki, and Nyamboyto I burial grounds, the eggs of <i>Diphyllobothrium</i> and <i>Taenia</i> spp. were found while no nematode (soil-transmitted) eggs were observed in the same samples. In this study, we concluded helminth infection pattern among the arctic and subarctic peoples of Western Siberia throughout history as follows: the raw fish-eating tradition did not undergo radical change in the area at least since the 18th century; and <i>A</i>. <i>lumbricoides</i> or <i>E</i>. <i>vermicularis</i> did not infect the inhabitants of this area before 20th century. With respect to the Western Siberia, we caught glimpse of the parasite infection pattern prevalent therein via investigations on contemporary and archaeoparasitological specimens.