Black Death Mystery Unearthed After Centuries
The mystery surrounding the Black Death is now resolved, according to researchers.
The Black Death is a pandemic responsible for killing countless people in Europe almost seven centuries ago, and manages to affect 2,000 people each year.
Scientists were aware that a strain from the Black Death was responsible for the Bubonic Plague that affected many today, however some pieces of the puzzle were still missing. After testing bones from a London graveyard where 2,400 people were buried for centuries, researchers were able to make conclusions about the Black Death strain, according to New York Times reports.
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Hendrik Poinar, associate professor in the department of anthropology at McMaster University, co-authored the study. He was able to name exactly what killed millions of people over 600 years ago.
"The controversy as to what caused the Black Death is now resolved," Poinar said, according to U.S. News and World reports. "It clearly was the bacterium Yersinia pestis that was responsible for 30 million deaths some 660 years ago."
Scientists investigated 109 skeletons that were buried between 1348 and 1350. After examining the DNA from the remains, it was determined that the 14th century pandemic could be linked to the Bubonic Plague of today.
Although the century old plague was more infectious and could be spread through less contact, scientists were sure that the two were linked.
Dr. Pascal James Imperato, chair of the department of preventive medicine and community health at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center said that the changes throughout the centuries are not surprising.
"Bacteria can mutate over time," James said, according to U.S. News and World reports. "They have found that the DNA of this ancient bacteria does not exactly match what we have today. Which means we could be dealing with two very different types of organisms."
Although the strain is different today, Poinar said the discovery was extremely important.
"This will allow us to assess why they were so virulent in the past, and be better prepared should they re-emerge," he said according to U.S. News and World.
