Evidence of parasites in the ancient city of Delos (Greece) during the hellenistic period

This article focuses on paleoparasitological analysis using microscopy and paleogenetics from 59 archaeological structures, comprising 51 latrines from the Hellenistic city of Delos, located in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. Among the analysed structures, 35 tested positive for one or more gastrointestinal helminth eggs, including Ascarididae, Trichocephalida, several Strongyle-types and one fluke egg. Subsequent paleogenetic analysis identified the presence of Ascaris sp., Trichuris trichiura and Enterobius vermicularis. To our knowledge, this is the only study of its kind covering almost the entire surface area of an ancient city, significantly demonstrating the reality of the parasitic burden experienced by an urban community in the Mediterranean basin during Antiquity.