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

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

Maria A Spyrou  1 , Rezeda I Tukhbatova  2 , Michal Feldman  1 , Joanna Drath  3 , Sacha Kacki  4 , Julia Beltrán de Heredia  5 , Susanne Arnold  6 , Airat G Sitdikov  2 , Dominique Castex  4 , Joachim Wahl  7 , Ilgizar R Gazimzyanov  8 , Danis K Nurgaliev  9 , Alexander Herbig  10 , Kirsten I Bos  11 , Johannes Krause  12
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Free article

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

Maria A Spyrou et al. Cell Host Microbe. .
Free article

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.

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