Molecular identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Milwaukee county institution grounds cemetery

Summary

Whether or not the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in skeletal remains is possible has been a debated topic for many years. In order to shed more light on the issue, a study has been carried out on the remains from the 1991 and 1992 excavations of the Milwaukee County Institution Grounds Cemetery, a collection of skeletons ranging from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, of various ages and sexes. To show the utility of the previously discussed methods of osteological identification of tuberculosis, the collection has been analyzed for the IS6110 repetitive element marker using molecular biological techniques, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Eighty-six skeletons from the collection were selected for analysis based on completeness of remains and identification of age and sex. Out of the analyzed remains, nine skeletons showed skeletal signs of tuberculosis infection. PCR was also carried out with the oxyR marker to rule out Mycobacterium bovis contamination. The goal of the study is to show whether or not osteological identification of M. tuberculosis is possible and whether it can be confirmed using molecular biological techniques.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• People that no one had use for, had nothing to give to, no place to offer: The Milwaukee County Institution Grounds Poor Farm Cemetery

Keywords

Spatial Coverage