The 800-year-old skeleton contains 'ghost cells' of deadly bacteria

The skeletal nodules of a woman contain "ghost cells" with intact DNA after nearly 1,000 years of deadly bacteria.

Archaeologists unearthed the skeleton of a 30-year-old pregnant woman at the graveyard in Anatolia, Turkey. On the ribs at the bottom of the woman's chest appeared strange nodules , according to the International Business Times.

Skeleton of 30-year-old woman unearthed at the graveyard in Anatolia, Turkey.(Photo: Gebhard Bieg).

The method of carbon analysis shows that nodules are dated about 790 to 860 years ago. After excluding tuberculosis that caused them, Caitlin Pepperell, an epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, cut the nodule to study.

The results showed that the nodules containing the "ghost cells" of the bacteria killed the woman. These ghost cells, or microscopic fossils, are Staphylococcus saprophyticus (often causing urinary tract infections) and Gardnerella vaginalis (infection of the fetus).

In addition, Pepperell found male DNA preserved in nodules. This indicates the woman who is pregnant with a baby boy at the time of the infection. The DNA of a boy and the DNA of this killer bacterium remain almost intact after nearly 1,000 years. The results are published in the eLife magazine on January 10.

Cross section of one of the nodules on the woman's ribs.(Photo: Pathologie Nordhessen).

Pepperell said that usually only about 1% of ancient bacterial DNA persists after 800 years, but in nodules on the bones of women, this number is up to 31-58%.

"The way DNA is preserved is very interesting. The quality of the genetic data is still very good," Pepperell said.