Ancient DNA provides evidence of earliest known plague outbreak
Summary
Scientists found ancient DNA showing an early outbreak of plague about 5,500 years ago among hunter-gatherers in Siberia. The disease spread through contact with infected animals and between people, killing many children and families in these communities.Key Facts
- The earliest known plague outbreak occurred around 5,500 years ago in south-eastern Siberia.
- Ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer remains showed the presence of the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis.
- The disease likely spread to humans from marmots and ground squirrels, then spread between people.
- Many graves, especially at the Ust-Ida site, contained children who died from the plague.
- At least two-thirds of the dead at some cemeteries were under 15 years old.
- Two waves of plague outbreaks happened about 400 to 600 years apart.
- The ancient plague strain had a toxic protein that might explain why it was deadly, especially to children.
- This study helps explain why so many people died young in prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities.
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