Resorption of the alveolar region in Facies leprosy: a paleoanthropological and paleopathological analysis (Aragatsavan, Armenia)

During recent excavations in Aragatsavan (Armenia), a fairly complete skeleton of a individual unearthed. The individual was identified as adolescent male with mesocrany skull form, and an estimated stature of 159 cm. Unintentional tumpline and cradle deformations were found in individual. Skull bones exhibited signs of healed trauma, small blunt force lesions on the frontal and parietal bones. The goal of this study was to detect Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) in archaeological human skeletal remain. Resorption of the alveolar bone in the anterior maxilla was in individual with lepromatous leprosy in Aragatsavan. The skull also showed the premature closure of the sagittal suture. This individual experienced multiple bouts of starvation or malnutrition due to serious disease (lines enamel hypoplasia). The analysis also revealed bowing of the hips, osteoarthritis and periostitis. These data are interpreted to mean that resorption of bone inferior (alveolar bone) and other paleopathologies appears in individual occur independently.