Plasmodium falciparum immunodetection in bone remains of members of the Renaissance Medici family (Florence, Italy, sixteenth century)

A groundbreaking study provides the first modern laboratory evidence of Plasmodium falciparum infection in the skeletal remains of four members of the Renaissance Medici family, confirming historical accounts that tertian malarial fevers caused their deaths. Using immunological investigations to detect ancient proteins (PfHRP2 and PfLDH) in bone samples, researchers validated the clinical diagnoses issued by court physicians over 450 years ago. This method, successfully applied to skeletal remains for the first time, opens new avenues for investigating large archaeological series beyond mummified tissues. The findings underscore the Medici family's high exposure to malaria due to their hunting activities in endemic areas of Tuscany.

Fornaciari, G., Giuffra, V., Ferroglio, E., Gino, S., & Bianucci, R. (2010). Plasmodium falciparum immunodetection in bone remains of members of the Renaissance Medici family (Florence, Italy, sixteenth century). Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 104(9), 583–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trstmh.2010.06.007