Mummies that have recently been unearthed in South Korea may provide clues on how to combat hepatitis B, Professor Mark Spigelman at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said in a statement on Monday.
This is the first time that samples of hepatitis B have ever been found on a mummified body, said the statement released by the university.
When the virus was discovered in the liver of a 500-year-old child, researchers at Dankook University and Seoul National University invited Prof. Spigelman to South Korea to verify the findings.
Spigelman known for his pioneering studies in ancient diseases (palaeoepidemiology) researched on mummified bodies from Hungary to Sudan, in his quest to provide answers to the development of diseases affecting people today, such as tuberculosis, leishmania and influenza.
The South Korean mummies are particularly well preserved, and could provide crucial information in the evolution of the hepatitis B virus, according to the report.
Hepatitis B causes liver problems and can lead to liver cancer or liver failure, killing approximately one million people each year.
Source: Xinhua
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