Toward an Epidemiological Model of Sarcoptic Mange among Andean Camelids

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Current Zooarchaeology: New and Ongoing Approaches" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Sarcoptic mange is a highly infectious, zoonotic disease endemic to modern Andean camelid populations. Severe infection can result in the loss of wool and death of the animal. Rapid spread can lead to significant economic losses and population instability. Despite widespread awareness and preventative measures taken by modern camelid herders, the dynamics of mange and its archaeological consequences in early Andean herds remain poorly understood. The differential preservation of skeletal remains over other connective tissues, which are more likely to harbor evidence of pathophysiology, make it difficult to identify the disease and its effects in the archaeological record. New analytical approaches may allow us to examine previously elusive lines of evidence that extend beyond skeletal indicators. This study derives an epidemiological model of sarcoptic mange transmission from pathogen and host behaviors, paying particular attention to archaeologically detectable outcomes related to identification of ectoparasite exoskeletons, soft tissue histological structures, and mortality profiles. This working model is a key component toward advancing an archaeologically relevant ecological framework for understanding camelid disease dynamics in the Andes.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• Current Zooarchaeology: New and Ongoing Approaches

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 32137