The ability to map and discover the evolution of bacteria has enabled researchers to trace the movement of historic pandemics since 2000, and in several studies on the Black Death, a new field of "bio-archaeology" has emerged. Perhaps using "Legal Biohistory", more can be learned about the human-bacteria interaction by correlating the legal record as well.
A recent archaeological dig of Black Death victims from 14th Century Europe describe two new strains of bubonic plague. Further, the genomics of the evolution of the bacteria from each of the five dig sites, revealed a pathway of development of the bacteria, tracing a possible route of infection through Europe. Bubonic plague was confirmed as the cause of the Black Death in each of these digs. The massive pandemic of 1341-45 was just one of hundreds of lesser outbreaks of plague for hundreds of years.
In a study led by Paul Kiem, Northern Arizona University, the evolution of the Black Death could be traced as well. More recently, as reported May 18, 2014 in USA Today, Dr. Kiem led another investigation into the genomics of the Justinian Plague in the 6th Century, and discovered that the strain responsible for that death depicted in horrendous drawings and paintings reached an evolutionary end -- it doesn't exist anymore.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/18/on-the-trail-of-the-dreaded-plague/9232883/
I would also suggest that further research, correlating the quarantine actions taken at ports and cities which are well documented during this period might reveal an impact on the evolution of the plague bacteria. If that were true, then I would suggest that it would be the first documented evidence of legal action affecting the evolution of a bacteria.
The study by S. Haensch et al., is available from the open access journal, http://www.uni-mainz.de/eng/13883.php .
 |
| Proposed route of the Black Death from S. Haensch, et. al. |
No comments:
Post a Comment