TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence of Skeletal Fluorosis at the Ray Site, Illinois, USA
T2 - a pathological assessment and discussion of environmental factors
AU - Nelson, Elizabeth A.
AU - Halling, Christine L.
AU - Buikstra, Jane E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2019/9
Y1 - 2019/9
N2 - Objective:: To carefully assess skeletal lesions in close environment context in order to evaluate whether skeletal fluorosis was present in individuals living in the prehistoric Midwest, USA. Materials:: Skeletal remains from minimally 117 individuals recovered from the Ray Site, located in western Illinois (USA) and dated to the Middle/early Late Woodland periods (50 BC-AD 400). Methods:: Macroscopic evaluation of all recovered skeletal elements. Results:: Eight individuals display a constellation of abnormal bony changes, including osteosclerosis, a high frequency of fractures, and dental abnormalities. Conclusions:: The osteosclerotic changes along with the naturally high fluoride content of west central Illinois soil and water suggests the presence of skeletal fluorosis. Significance:: This is the first report of skeletal fluorosis from archaeologically recovered human remains from North America. Limitations:: The ambiguous nature of the skeletal changes associated with fluorosis, especially in the less severe stages of the disease, renders determination of the etiology difficult. Suggestions for Further Research:: The continuation of paleopathological investigations of fluoride toxicity within archaeological communities recovered from this region with emphasis on the incorporation of biomedical and environmental data. Furthermore, complementary analyses of the chemical composition and the histological presentation of the skeletons could provide support for this diagnosis.
AB - Objective:: To carefully assess skeletal lesions in close environment context in order to evaluate whether skeletal fluorosis was present in individuals living in the prehistoric Midwest, USA. Materials:: Skeletal remains from minimally 117 individuals recovered from the Ray Site, located in western Illinois (USA) and dated to the Middle/early Late Woodland periods (50 BC-AD 400). Methods:: Macroscopic evaluation of all recovered skeletal elements. Results:: Eight individuals display a constellation of abnormal bony changes, including osteosclerosis, a high frequency of fractures, and dental abnormalities. Conclusions:: The osteosclerotic changes along with the naturally high fluoride content of west central Illinois soil and water suggests the presence of skeletal fluorosis. Significance:: This is the first report of skeletal fluorosis from archaeologically recovered human remains from North America. Limitations:: The ambiguous nature of the skeletal changes associated with fluorosis, especially in the less severe stages of the disease, renders determination of the etiology difficult. Suggestions for Further Research:: The continuation of paleopathological investigations of fluoride toxicity within archaeological communities recovered from this region with emphasis on the incorporation of biomedical and environmental data. Furthermore, complementary analyses of the chemical composition and the histological presentation of the skeletons could provide support for this diagnosis.
KW - Differential Diagnosis
KW - Fluoride toxicity
KW - Metabolic Bone Disease
KW - North America
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.05.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.05.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 31228793
AN - SCOPUS:85067434901
SN - 1879-9817
VL - 26
SP - 48
EP - 60
JO - International Journal of Paleopathology
JF - International Journal of Paleopathology
ER -