Toxocara eggs in an 18th century Franciscan from Portugal. The challenge of differentiating between parasitism and chance in Paleoparasitology.

In 2005, an adult male was excavated in the cloister of the former Convent of the Holy Spirit, in the Franciscan Province of Holy Mary of Arrábida, Lisbon district. From the anterior part of the sacrum, a darker organic agglomeration was collected and studied for intestinal parasites. Samples were rehydrated with Lycopodium tablets in a NaPO 5% solution for 72h, followed by the swirl technique.