Siberia (Lord Media): Scientists have revealed that the world’s oldest plague outbreak occurred around 5,500 years ago near Lake Baikal in Siberia, primarily affecting children and young adolescents. An international team of researchers analyzed DNA from human remains found in four ancient cemeteries near Lake Baikal, discovering traces of the Yersinia pestis bacteria.
According to the research, hunter-gatherer humans lived in small groups, and the disease was transmitted to humans from marmots. Experts from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Cambridge state that this discovery challenges existing notions about the origin of the plague and its impact on human history.
Previously, the oldest known evidence of the plague was found in present-day Latvia, dating back approximately 5,300 years, but the new discovery predates it.
During the research, scientists extracted genetic material of the plague bacteria from the teeth of affected individuals. They found a unique genetic trait that could cause severe inflammation and complications in children.
This research, published in the scientific journal Nature, is expected to significantly aid in understanding ancient pandemics and their effects on human history.
