Fish tapeworm and human–parasite interactions from the Aragón-1 site, Atacama desert, Chile (3300 BCE–530 CE)

Palaeoparasitological studies provide valuable insights into the presence of parasites in human groups and their relationship with diverse lifestyles, health conditions, and cultural practices of past populations. Twenty-two human coprolite samples were analysed to evaluate human-parasite interactions and understand the ways of life and their relationship with the environment during the Late Archaic and Formative Periods at the Aragón-1 site (3300 BCE to 530 CE), Atacama Desert (northern Chile). Samples were prepared using the spontaneous sedimentation technique and analysed by optical microscopy. 48 023 eggs were found and identified exclusively as <i>Dibothriocephalus/Adenocephalus</i> sp., suggesting parasite infection through the consumption of undercooked fish during both the Late Archaic and Early Formative Periods. Our analysis reveals a close ecological interaction between this parasitic genus and the humans who inhabited the Aragón-1 site. The presence of this parasite decreases significantly toward the later Period, a phenomenon that could be explained by cultural and/or environmental factors. Culinary practices, care and prevention, and <i>El Niño</i> and <i>La Niña</i> phenomena may have influenced the human-parasite dynamics. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the biocultural practices of the Aragón-1 individuals, highlighting their dietary habits based on marine resources and the mobility between inland and coastal areas required for the procurement of these products.