Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization
The paper presents a hypothesis that the most probable cause of death of the ancient world Indus (Harappa) civilization was the epidemic of Asiatic cholera. A brief description of the Indus civilization that existed for two millennia (3300–1300 BC) is given. It is shown that the previously described...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Russian |
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Federal Government Health Institution, Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Проблемы особо опасных инфекций |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.microbe.ru/jour/article/view/1824 |
| _version_ | 1797220745786425344 |
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| author | V. P. Sergiev V. V. Kutyrev |
| author_facet | V. P. Sergiev V. V. Kutyrev |
| author_sort | V. P. Sergiev |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The paper presents a hypothesis that the most probable cause of death of the ancient world Indus (Harappa) civilization was the epidemic of Asiatic cholera. A brief description of the Indus civilization that existed for two millennia (3300–1300 BC) is given. It is shown that the previously described factors for the decline of the thriving Indus civilization (climate change, shallowing of the Indus river and reduction in floods, catastrophic floods, drought, economic crisis, etc.) do not provide a consistent and comprehensive explanation of the causes of its death. Meanwhile, the natural environment and peculiarities of agriculture of the Indus civilization (annual floods affecting not only fields, but also sewage systems) created ideal conditions for the spread of water-borne cholera. The evolution of the Asiatic cholera agent is discussed. The results of paleogenomics study of this pathogen and their significance for the reconstruction of evolutionary events are briefly reviewed. The stages of evolution of Vibrio cholerae of the classical biovar are described, and possible mechanisms for the preservation of the pathogen during inter-epidemic period are considered. It is demonstrated that aside from cholera, other catastrophic, destructive epidemics are recorded in the history of mankind. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T13:41:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9407fddd76194950b8cda4a3643ae1fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0370-1069 2658-719X |
| language | Russian |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:54:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Federal Government Health Institution, Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe” |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Проблемы особо опасных инфекций |
| spelling | doaj.art-9407fddd76194950b8cda4a3643ae1fa2024-04-05T16:47:18ZrusFederal Government Health Institution, Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”Проблемы особо опасных инфекций0370-10692658-719X2023-07-01029510010.21055/0370-1069-2023-2-95-1001460Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus CivilizationV. P. Sergiev0V. V. Kutyrev1First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University)Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”The paper presents a hypothesis that the most probable cause of death of the ancient world Indus (Harappa) civilization was the epidemic of Asiatic cholera. A brief description of the Indus civilization that existed for two millennia (3300–1300 BC) is given. It is shown that the previously described factors for the decline of the thriving Indus civilization (climate change, shallowing of the Indus river and reduction in floods, catastrophic floods, drought, economic crisis, etc.) do not provide a consistent and comprehensive explanation of the causes of its death. Meanwhile, the natural environment and peculiarities of agriculture of the Indus civilization (annual floods affecting not only fields, but also sewage systems) created ideal conditions for the spread of water-borne cholera. The evolution of the Asiatic cholera agent is discussed. The results of paleogenomics study of this pathogen and their significance for the reconstruction of evolutionary events are briefly reviewed. The stages of evolution of Vibrio cholerae of the classical biovar are described, and possible mechanisms for the preservation of the pathogen during inter-epidemic period are considered. It is demonstrated that aside from cholera, other catastrophic, destructive epidemics are recorded in the history of mankind.https://journal.microbe.ru/jour/article/view/1824indus civilizationvibrio cholerae of the classical biovarasiatic cholera epidemics |
| spellingShingle | V. P. Sergiev V. V. Kutyrev Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization Проблемы особо опасных инфекций indus civilization vibrio cholerae of the classical biovar asiatic cholera epidemics |
| title | Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization |
| title_full | Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization |
| title_fullStr | Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization |
| title_short | Cholera and the Death of the Ancient Indus Civilization |
| title_sort | cholera and the death of the ancient indus civilization |
| topic | indus civilization vibrio cholerae of the classical biovar asiatic cholera epidemics |
| url | https://journal.microbe.ru/jour/article/view/1824 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vpsergiev choleraandthedeathoftheancientinduscivilization AT vvkutyrev choleraandthedeathoftheancientinduscivilization |