Leiden University Student Repository

Joyce, Rhiannon Louise (2016)

Congenital syphilis in the past: Improving diagnostic criteria using clinical and palaeopathological research

Master thesis | Archaeology (MA/MSc)

Congenital syphilis is a disease which still affects thousands of people throughout the world in a modern society. If untreated, congenital syphilis can be extremely debilitating and can even cause death. Although the cure for congenital syphilis is relatively simple with modern medicine, this was not always the case. Congenital syphilis was responsible for thousands of deaths in the past, yet this is not visible in the archaeological record. There are several reasons why the true prevalence rate of congenital syphilis is not visible in the archaeological record such as, the common underrepresentation of juvenile skeletal remains. it is however possible that some potential cases of congenital syphilis are being misdiagnosed in the archaeological record because of the confusion surrounding the diagnostic criteria. By improving the diagnostic criteria of congenital syphilis, new archaeological cases may become evident.

Congenital syphilis

Palaeopathology

Osteoarchaeology

Disease

Author

Joyce, Rhiannon Louise

Faculty

Faculty of Archaeology

Specialisation

Human Osteology and Funerary Archaeology

Supervisors

Waters-Rist, Andrea

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en