Study in PLOS Biology suggests human body lice contributed significantly to the rapid spread of the plague during the Middle Ages.
A study in PLOS Biology suggests human body lice may have significantly contributed to the rapid spread of the plague during the Middle Ages. While rat fleas were known to play a major role, the study found body lice are more efficient at transmitting plague bacteria Yersinia pestis than previously assumed. This could help explain the high death toll during the pandemic and provide further insight into the transmission of the plague.
May 21, 2024
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