Historical Y. pestis Genomes Reveal the European Black Death as the Source of Ancient and Modern Plague Pandemics

Cell Host Microbe. 2016 Jun 8;19(6):874-81. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.05.012.

Abstract

Ancient DNA analysis has revealed an involvement of the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis in several historical pandemics, including the second plague pandemic (Europe, mid-14(th) century Black Death until the mid-18(th) century AD). Here we present reconstructed Y. pestis genomes from plague victims of the Black Death and two subsequent historical outbreaks spanning Europe and its vicinity, namely Barcelona, Spain (1300-1420 cal AD), Bolgar City, Russia (1362-1400 AD), and Ellwangen, Germany (1485-1627 cal AD). Our results provide support for (1) a single entry of Y. pestis in Europe during the Black Death, (2) a wave of plague that traveled toward Asia to later become the source population for contemporary worldwide epidemics, and (3) the presence of an historical European plague focus involved in post-Black Death outbreaks that is now likely extinct.

Publication types

  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • Asia / epidemiology
  • Bone and Bones / microbiology
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Disease Reservoirs
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Genotype
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • History, 15th Century
  • History, 16th Century
  • History, 17th Century
  • History, 18th Century
  • History, Medieval
  • Humans
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Pandemics / history*
  • Phylogeny
  • Plague / epidemiology
  • Plague / history*
  • Plague / microbiology*
  • Tooth / microbiology
  • Yersinia pestis / genetics*
  • Yersinia pestis / isolation & purification

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial