Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens
Since life on earth developed, parasitic microbes have thrived. Increases in host numbers, or the conquest of a new species, provide an opportunity for such a pathogen to enjoy, before host defense systems kick in, a similar upsurge in reproduction. Outbreaks, caused by “endemic” pathogens, and epid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Epidemiologia |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/3/4/34 |
| _version_ | 1797459215839657984 |
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| author | Antoinette C. van der Kuyl |
| author_facet | Antoinette C. van der Kuyl |
| author_sort | Antoinette C. van der Kuyl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since life on earth developed, parasitic microbes have thrived. Increases in host numbers, or the conquest of a new species, provide an opportunity for such a pathogen to enjoy, before host defense systems kick in, a similar upsurge in reproduction. Outbreaks, caused by “endemic” pathogens, and epidemics, caused by “novel” pathogens, have thus been creating chaos and destruction since prehistorical times. To study such (pre)historic epidemics, recent advances in the ancient DNA field, applied to both archeological and historical remains, have helped tremendously to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of pathogens. These studies have offered new and unexpected insights into the evolution of, for instance, smallpox virus, hepatitis B virus, and the plague-causing bacterium <i>Yersinia pestis</i>. Furthermore, burial patterns and historical publications can help in tracking down ancient pathogens. Another source of information is our genome, where selective sweeps in immune-related genes relate to past pathogen attacks, while multiple viruses have left their genomes behind for us to study. This review will discuss the sources available to investigate (pre)historic diseases, as molecular knowledge of historic and prehistoric pathogens may help us understand the past and the present, and prepare us for future epidemics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:48:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bed670484d7444dbbf09711c3fd41c28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3986 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:48:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Epidemiologia |
| spelling | doaj.art-bed670484d7444dbbf09711c3fd41c282023-11-24T14:44:28ZengMDPI AGEpidemiologia2673-39862022-10-013444346410.3390/epidemiologia3040034Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient PathogensAntoinette C. van der Kuyl0Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSince life on earth developed, parasitic microbes have thrived. Increases in host numbers, or the conquest of a new species, provide an opportunity for such a pathogen to enjoy, before host defense systems kick in, a similar upsurge in reproduction. Outbreaks, caused by “endemic” pathogens, and epidemics, caused by “novel” pathogens, have thus been creating chaos and destruction since prehistorical times. To study such (pre)historic epidemics, recent advances in the ancient DNA field, applied to both archeological and historical remains, have helped tremendously to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of pathogens. These studies have offered new and unexpected insights into the evolution of, for instance, smallpox virus, hepatitis B virus, and the plague-causing bacterium <i>Yersinia pestis</i>. Furthermore, burial patterns and historical publications can help in tracking down ancient pathogens. Another source of information is our genome, where selective sweeps in immune-related genes relate to past pathogen attacks, while multiple viruses have left their genomes behind for us to study. This review will discuss the sources available to investigate (pre)historic diseases, as molecular knowledge of historic and prehistoric pathogens may help us understand the past and the present, and prepare us for future epidemics.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/3/4/34prehistoryhistoryarcheobiologypaleovirologyEVEsancient DNA |
| spellingShingle | Antoinette C. van der Kuyl Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens Epidemiologia prehistory history archeobiology paleovirology EVEs ancient DNA |
| title | Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens |
| title_full | Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens |
| title_fullStr | Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens |
| title_short | Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens |
| title_sort | historic and prehistoric epidemics an overview of sources available for the study of ancient pathogens |
| topic | prehistory history archeobiology paleovirology EVEs ancient DNA |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/3/4/34 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT antoinettecvanderkuyl historicandprehistoricepidemicsanoverviewofsourcesavailableforthestudyofancientpathogens |