Roman Fort Drain Unmasks Persistent Parasite Infections on the Frontier

A team analyzing Vindolanda’s latrine drain found parasite eggs—Ascaris and Trichuris—and Giardia duodenalis in a subset of 58 sediment samples, with 28% testing positive. The findings show repeated exposure to contaminated water and food at a Roman frontier fort despite baths and aqueducts, indicating infections persisted across generations and that sanitation infrastructure wasn’t enough to prevent disease at isolated outposts; these patterns echo evidence from other forts and highlight potential zoonotic routes linked to diet.