Hyperdisease in the late Pleistocene: validation of an early 20th century hypothesis

The hypothesis of disease-related large mammal extinction has new support. A unique pathologic zone of resorption was first noticed in a Hiscock Mammut americanum metacarpal. The pathognomonic zone of resorption was present in fifty-nine (52%) of 113 skeletons with feet available for examination. Metacarpals and metatarsals were most commonly affected. Associated rib periosteal reaction is highly suggestive of tuberculosis and the foot lesions were identical to that documented in Bison as pathognomonic for tuberculosis. Recognizing that only a portion of animals infected by infectious tuberculosis develop bone involvement, the high frequency of the pathology in M. americanum suggests that tuberculosis was not simply endemic, but actually pandemic, a hyperdisease. Pandemic tuberculosis was one of several probable factors contributing to mastodon extinction.     

民用建筑中的公共卫生安全问题研究

在对历史上所发生的几次传染病流行为进行分析的基础上 ,笔者认为 :传染病的流行 ,对人类的生存与发展会产生非常重要的影响 ;人一生中大部分时间是在室内度过 ,因而人类传染病的流行与建筑物及其环境有关 ;传染病流行的关键包括 3个要素 ,其中传染途径与建筑物的关系更为突出。通过对已有建筑物的考察 ,发现建筑物内水与空气的处理不当可能是传染病的重要传染途径 ,为此分析了成因 ,同时提出了处理传染途径的具体措施。