Systemic pathological condition in an infant from the Inca period (15th century CE) found in La Troya area (Fiambalá, Catamarca, Argentina): Infection, metabolic disease, and/or anemia?

ARANDA, CLAUDIA; MONGE CALLEJA, ÁLVARO M.; RATTO, NORMA; SANTOS, ANA LUISA; UBELAKER, DOUGLAS; RODRÍGUEZ, PABLO; LUNA. LEANDRO

Coimbra

Congreso; International Meeting on Porous Skeletal Lesions: achievements and future directions; 2023

Universidad de Coimbra

In 2004, a single burial of an infant was discovered in La Troya area, Fiambalá valley,Catamarca, Argentina. This 1–2-year-old male, dated from the Inca period (501 ± 29 yearsBP; calibration 2σ: 1410-1462 CE), was inhumed in a laterally flexed position inside apottery urn, with abundant grave goods (an uncommon practice for non-adults in theregion). Isotopic analysis indicates this individual was lactating and that his mother had amixed and balanced diet. This study aims to evaluate possible etiologies that caused apattern of micro and macroporosity widely spread over the skeleton, and that eventuallyled this child to be differentially buried. Exuberant, porous, hyperplastic bone is visiblesurrounding the temporal and lambdoid sutures. Both parietals endocranial surfaces shownew bone formation around vascular sulci. Both orbital roofs have hypertrophic,macroporous, and active new bone formation. The maxillae, mandible, sphenoid, parsbasilaris, pars lateralis, scapulae, and ribs, among other bones, show both new boneformation and micro/macroporosity. Bilateral cribra femoralis are present, andmacroporous are also visible in the distal metaphyses of humeri and in the vertebralbodies. Radiological examination revealed bone formation in the cranial bones, projectingin a hair-on-end appearance, and osteopenic areas in the long bones. Considering thatpaleopathological analysis is a major challenge when studying infant skeletons, thepreliminary differential diagnoses considered are metabolic (most likely scurvy), infectious(tuberculosis), or acquired and genetic anemias, although co-morbidity cannot be ruledout.