Details of first historically recorded plague pandemic revealed by ancient genomes

(Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History) An international team of researchers has analyzed human remains from 21 archaeological sites to learn more about the impact and evolution of the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis during the first plague pandemic (541-750 AD). The researchers reconstructed 8 plague genomes from Britain, Germany, France and Spain and uncovered a previously unknown level of diversity in Y. pestis strains. Additionally, they found the first direct genetic evidence of the Justinianic Plague in the British Isles.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news