DNA Samples Reveal the Presence of Plague 5,500 Years Ago

SadaNews - A comprehensive study on diseases that afflicted humans over 37,000 years has revealed the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that have devastated humanity for millennia, finding the first evidence of plague bacteria approximately 5,500 years ago.

Researchers analyzed DNA extracted from the bones and teeth of 1,313 individuals who lived across Eurasia (Europe and Asia) from the early Stone Age (about 12,500 years ago) to around 200 years ago, while the oldest sample in the study dates back 37,000 years.

The results showed that the first evidence of zoonotic diseases, those transmitted from animals to humans, dates back to about 6,500 years ago, beginning to spread widely 1,500 years thereafter.
Professor Eske Willerslev from the Universities of Cambridge and Copenhagen stated, "We have long suspected that the shift to agriculture and animal husbandry opened the door to a new era of diseases, and now DNA reveals that this indeed happened at least 6,500 years ago."

He added, "This infection not only caused disease but may have also contributed to population collapses, migrations, and genetic adaptations."

Researchers identified the oldest genetic trace of the plague-causing bacterium "Yersinia pestis" in a sample dating back 5,500 years. It is estimated that the plague killed between a quarter to half of the population of Europe during the Middle Ages.
Frederik Serchul from the University of Copenhagen remarked, "This is simply the oldest case of plague found so far. When you look at this discovery, you can see how the plague evolved over time to reach the form we knew in the /Black Death/... the pandemic that swept across Europe between 1346 and 1353, killing up to 40% of the population in some areas."

The researchers also found traces of diphtheria dating back 11,000 years, hepatitis B to 9,800 years ago, and malaria to 4,200 years ago. Overall, 214 disease-causing agents in prehistoric humans in Eurasia were identified.

The study was published in the journal "Nature" on Wednesday.

Professor Astrid Eversen from the University of Oxford mentioned that zoonotic diseases "began to spread significantly" about 5,000 years ago, noting that keeping animals in large herds and living close to them increased the chances of transmission of infections to humans.