Posted on 01/23/2016 7:57:47 PM PST by BenLurkin
Black Death, a mid-fourteenth century plague, killed 30 to 50 per cent of the European population in just five years.
The pandemic was caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria with millions dying from the disease in two major outbreaks.
Thousands of years before it wreaked havoc in the second wave of deaths, the bacteria may have been passed around as a harmless microbe.
...
Being distinct from all modern forms of plague, the scientists believe they have identified an extinct form of the disease, according to their study reported yesterday in the online journal eLife.
...
Marseille was a big hub of trade in the Mediterranean, so the Great Plague of Marseille could have been imported from any number of places by ship and cargo.
But she concedes that it equally could have been close to home.
"Our results suggest that the disease was hiding somewhere in Europe for several hundred years".
"It;s a chilling thought that plague might have once been hiding right around the corner throughout Europe, living in a host which is not known to us yet" explains Johannes Krause, director of the Department of Archaeogenetics at the MPI in Jena.
He adds: "Future work might help us to identify the mysterious host species, its range and the reason for its disappearance".
...
Scientists and historians have long believed the plague originated in Asia and was reintroduced to Europe a number of times.
But the findings from the German remains indicate it may have never left Europe's shores.
Instead, it lay relatively dormant in the host - suspected to be rodents - until an unknown event caused it to jump to humans again, like it had done three centuries earlier.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
we have plague here In the states- every now and again folks die from it- a couple of hunters a few years ago died of it- not only black plague but pneumonic plague as well
Even though it’s a bacterial you would think remaining European descendants have some built in resistance to it now.
Black death may have been lurking.-Ben Lurkin. LOL.
And don’t you forget it.
Can’t it be picked up by contact with Armadillo’s?
that would be leprosy- but maybe they carry plague too- but I hadn’t heard that if they do- but definitely leprosy
In November 1979, while serving in Vietnam, I contracted Yersinia Pestis, Black Plague, I spent 23 days in a hospital and lost 65 pounds during those 23 days. They treated it with streptomycin antibiotic, after misdiagnosing it for the first 10 days, but I survived.
I think you’re right. I knew there was something that could be picked up by contact with Armadillo’s.
Black Death. That’s your spy name.
Funny how true you’re name is for many of us on FR. I still lurk mostly, though as of late have been making the occasional foray into the Free
Republic theater of war.
Is this thing anything like the Black Death in Chiraq, Detroit, West Oakland and St. Louis?
http://www.lepra.org.uk/platforms/lepra/files/lr/Sept05/Lep198-208.pdf
Armadillos in certain areas only. Other areas armadillos don’t have leprosy.
Pain you funny boy. I should be getting hazardous duty pay for just being on this website.
thatnks for that= I was under the impression it was everywhere where armadillos were- I still would not trust them in areas where it’s less of a threat though-
Melissa Harris-Perry should do a report on this.
Yes, NM still has cases. Some have said that rat urine on Pinon Pine nuts was a probable vector.
Pinon Pine nuts were widely collected and eaten by New Mexicans. I admit I have eaten them too. No longer, but it has been a very long time since I was in NM.
The conventional wisdom of this plague doesn’t pass the logic test.
Too fast, too convenient an answer. (Stored and transmitted by rats” is usual answer.)
So, if it came in from China on a ship, how did the virus/plague go from sailor to city to resident to wander/trader between cities to the next city so fast? faster than “rats” can travel.
Sure, people carry it. But then why the rat+flea vector? How the rat+flea vector so quick ?
Too rapid a rise, too great a death rate, and then it “vanishes ....” to negligible levels today.
But in the 1600’s, 1700’s, 1800’s ... life was not too much different. Sanitation and rat control was not much different than in the 1400’s.
Sure, today? The plague would be less. But why did it stop? What was it? Two different diseases certainly: one short (air borne? One longer, slower. Flea borne? Maybe.
I remember eating some barbecued armadillo in a town south of San Antonio. Tasted good, but had a weird pinkish-red color. That was a long time ago and before I knew about the association with Leprosy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.