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epidemic of the Black Death. The very thought of that chills us to the bone. among the worst pandemics in recorded history. Even now, after experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, the prospect of what happened in the 14th century still terrifies us. According to a recent study, the Black Death never completely vanished.
For over 1,500 years, this fatal illness has been able to adapt and endure in some parts of the world because to a single gene! The pla gene was identified through a collaborative study conducted by Institut Pasteur (France) and McMaster University (Canada).
Therefore, it is true that this small gene is what has allowed the sickness to persist over the ages. What does that signify, though?
The Black Death Plague
caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, which was primarily spread by fleas that resided on sick rats but also via respiratory contact.
High fever, excruciating agony, great exhaustion, and the development of black lumps on the skin—thus the name—were all horrific signs of the Black Death. Death usually occurred within a few days.
Beyond the human misery, the plague had a profound effect on society, changing many beliefs about life, death, and medicine, paralyzing the economy, and bringing down social and religious institutions. It marked a sea change in European history. Have you read Decameron by Boccaccio? Compared to the lockdown in 2020, it was far worse.
The bacteria that never left
For good cause, the Black Death has left a lasting mark on human history. The Yersinia pestis bacteria has killed millions of people throughout history, from the Plague of Justinian in the sixth century to the present outbreaks in Madagascar.
The crucial role of the pla gene
The study examined over 2,700 DNA samples from plague victims and was published in the journal Science. According to this study, a single gene (the pla gene) altered the behavior of the bacteria over generations, enabling them to infect more efficiently without killing them right away! This indicates that the mutation extended its life span by giving it more time to propagate between rats and people.
Evolution as a weapon
Furthermore, despite the fact that it may appear unbelievable, the same germs have been responsible for every pandemic in human history that has been linked to the plague. But while some strains persisted, others vanished. The plague gene plays a role in this. In its early forms, the plague was fatal within a few days, but when outbreaks decimated rodent and human populations, the bacteria changed its approach, much like modern businesses do. Because they didn’t kill as fast, the less aggressive strains had more time to spread, which made them more effective!
From human pandemic to rodent infection
The investigation also revealed that rats, not humans, were the original hosts of the epidemic. It’s not surprising that they came into contact with rats and other animals given the lack of hygiene and the fact that people slept on the floor during those centuries. One could even argue that these rodents’ collateral victims were people.
The worst thing? The bacteria were able to endure the significant social, climatic, and health shifts that occurred in both the ancient and modern worlds thanks to this cross-species adaptation!
Can it come back?
Don’t worry, the study discovered that modern strains in Vietnam have the same genetic alterations in the pla gene as those reported in medieval forms!
Stated differently, the adaption approach is still in use today! Furthermore, we still haven’t been able to eradicate this bacteria despite the fact that we today have access to drugs and that cleanliness is extensively observed (with the exception of the subway, where there are always people with poor hygiene!).
What can we learn for the future?
Those terrible foes never truly go away, do they? Genetics is amazing.
