Paleopathology Case 04

Image A. Mummy of a 56-year-old adult female, buried in the Azapa Valley, Chile, who died around 290 AD. Aside from the usual grave goods associated with mummies in this time period, there were large numbers of tropical bird feathers. On autopsy:

  • The right lung on the lateral surface was firmly adherent to the costal pleura at the level of the 3-5th ribs. 
  • Separation of the adhesion revealed a large cavity 95x70x55mm (slide 1). The cavity contained a blackish granular material.
  • Right tracheobronchial lymph nodes were the size of marbles.
  • Three sets of enlarged mediastinal nodes were noted.
  • The right kidney was thickened and irregular in shape when compared to the left.
  • Histological sections of the right lung cavity wall revealed numerous red blood cells and yeast-like organisms 6-12 microns.

Image B. EM studies revealed the organisms seen in image B in the form of a "ship's wheel".

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Image A
Case 4 Lung cavity of mummy
Image B
Case 04 EM image

Paleopathology Research

Updated February 23, 2006