Scientists have identified a human who may have been the first person or patient to die from an outbreak of the disease. He was identified as having died about 5,000 years ago in Latvia.
From the results of the research, he was infected by the first strain of the Black Death epidemic. The Black Death then, in the 1300s, swept across Europe. The death rate was so high, even half the population died of infection.
"To date, this is the oldest plague victim we have," said Dr Ben Krause-Kyora, a researcher from the University of Kiel, Germany. The man's body was buried with three others near the Salac river in Latvia.
They then examined the DNA of the four individuals from the bones and teeth, and then tested it for traces of bacteria and viruses. They were surprised that one of them, who was around 20 years old, was infected with a strain of the Black Death, which is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis.
"Most likely he was bitten by a rat, infected by Yersinia pestis and died a few days or a week later," he added.
The researchers say ancient strains of the Black Death began to appear around 7,000 years ago, when agricultural activities began to develop in areas of central Europe. At the time, the bacteria jumped sporadically from animals to humans without causing large-scale outbreaks.
As time went by, the bacteria became stronger and infected humans and then the Black Death outbreak occurred. Millions of people died. The epidemic then began to subside. Currently, there is actually a Black Death disease but it can be treated with antibiotics.
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