Microbes extracted from the insides of a 5,300-year-old mummy have shown he was suffering from a stomach bug before he died, scientists have discovered.
Otzi the Iceman, the name given to the frozen body discovered in the Alps in 1991, had a bacterial infection that is common today, researchers said. He had been killed 5,300 years earlier after being struck by an arrow. This new study suggests he was suffering from an infection that can cause stomach ulcers and gastritis. A genetic analysis of the bacteria was carried out, helping to trace the history of the microbe, which is closely linked to the history of human migration.
The frozen corpse of Otzi has allowed scientists to look back at his life in unprecedented detail. Previous research has revealed that he was between 40 and 50 years old, had brown eyes, was covered in tattoos and had recently eaten ibex. He was found with an
arrow in his left shoulder, and most likely died of blood loss. However, he also suffered other medical problems, including heel fractures, arthritis and possibly Lyme disease.
Now, to add to his health woes, scientists have discovered the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. The researchers do not know what clinical symptoms Otzi displayed, but there was evidence that the bacteria reacted with the Iceman’s immune system.
Sequencing the genome of the microbe has also provided new information about ancient human migration. It adds to the growing evidence that rather than a single movement of humans out of Africa and into Europe, there were several migrations.