Paleoparasitology of Helminths

The paleoparasitology is an important branch of the paleopathology, which is the discipline that studies past diseases from ancient human remains, both skeletal and mummified. This topic is crucial for understanding the lifestyle of the past in terms of hygiene conditions, sanitary measures, and nutrition. A central role is certainly played by the study of the helminths; in fact, evidences of human ancient parasitism are largely recorded around the world, from prehistory to present age, through the analysis of the coprolites, latrine soils, and mummified remains. The purpose of the chapter is to illustrate the most significant paleoparasitological findings in the four continents and in various periods, thus showing the wide spread of the whole classes of the helminths (trematodes, cestodes, nematodes).