Evidence of probable tuberculosis in Lithuanian mummies.

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis has affected Europe for millennia and continues to be a burden upon modern society. It is estimated that one-third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of this condition. Despite the introduction of control strategies, the disease continues to be one of the most common causes of death globally. Within the framework of the Lithuanian Mummy Project, seven spontaneously mummified human bodies from a church crypt in Vilnius, dating from the 18th and 19th century, were CT-scanned to assess the presence of tuberculosis or other lung diseases. We encountered pulmonary lesions suggestive of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. In addition, one case might have been affected by extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. This report replicates the image findings from previous studies on ancient mummies that provided evidence of tuberculosis in soft tissues, thus helping reconstruct the history of this disease over time.