Journal Article

PUBDB-2024-05610

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Neolithic Yersinia pestis infections in humans and a dog

Susat, J. ; Haller-Caskie, M. ; Bonczarowska, J. H. ; da Silva, N. A. ; Schierhold, K. ; Rind, M. M. ; Schmölcke, U. ; Kirleis, W. ; Sondermann, H.CSSB*DESY* ; Rinne, C. ; Müller, J. ; Nebel, A. ; Krause-Kyora, B. (Corresponding author)Extern*

2024
Springer Nature London

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1038/s42003-024-06676-7  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2024-05610

Abstract: Yersinia pestis has been infecting humans since the Late Neolithic (LN). Whether those early infections were isolated zoonoses or initiators of a pandemic remains unclear. We report Y. pestis infections in two individuals (of 133) from the LN necropolis at Warburg (Germany, 5300–4900 cal BP). Our analyses show that the two genomes belong to distinct strains and reflect independent infection events. All LN genomes known today (n = 4) are basal in the phylogeny and represent separate lineages that probably originated in different animal hosts. In the LN, an opening of the landscape resulted in the introduction of new rodent species, which may have acted as Y. pestis reservoirs. Coincidentally, the number of dogs increased, possibly leading to Y. pestis infections in canines. Indeed, we detect Y. pestis in an LN dog. Collectively, our data suggest that Y. pestis frequently entered human settlements at the time without causing significant outbreaks.

Note: This study was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) through the CRC 1266 – project number 290391021.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Strukturelle Mikrobiologie CSSB (CSSB-DESY-HS)

Research Program(s):

1. 633 - Life Sciences – Building Blocks of Life: Structure and Function (POF4-633) (POF4-633)
2. DFG project 290391021 - SFB 1266: Mensch-Umwelt Wechselwirkungen in Prähistorischen und Archaischen Gesellschaften (290391021) (290391021)

Experiment(s):

1. No specific instrument

Appears in the scientific report 2024

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