Pest Origin: New Findings Push History Back 200 Years

Vienna, June 18, 2026 – An international team of researchers has uncovered the oldest evidence of the plague to date, pushing back the documented history of this epidemic by about 200 years. The discovery shows that the bacterium Yersinia pestis was already infecting humans some 5,500 years ago—significantly earlier than previously thought.

Genetic Tracing in Bronze Age Graves

The scientists analyzed DNA samples from human remains found in Central Asia. They were able to isolate genetic signatures of the plague pathogen, indicating an active infection at the time of death. The previous scientific assumption dated the earliest plague cases to about 5,300 years ago. The new findings significantly shift this timeline and suggest that the disease may have already been rampant in the late Neolithic period. The research team emphasizes that understanding the history of the disease is central to understanding human development.

Trade routes as disease corridors

The geographical dimension of the findings is particularly relevant to European history. The sites where the artifacts were discovered are located along ancient trade routes that connected Central Asia with the Black Sea region and, ultimately, with Europe. These corridors apparently served not only as routes for the exchange of goods but also as pathways for the spread of pathogens. There is evidence that the plague reached Europe multiple times via eastern routes, most devastatingly during the Black Death in the 14th century, which is estimated to have wiped out 30 to 60 percent of the European population. The new findings suggest that these transmission routes are far older than previously documented.

Modern Medicine Against an Ancient Enemy

Despite its long history with humankind, the plague is no longer a cause of death today, at least in places where modern medicine is available. Antibiotics can effectively treat the infection if administered in a timely manner. Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) records between 1,000 and 2,000 cases of the plague worldwide each year, mainly in Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Peru.

Classification for Austrian readers

For Austria, these findings are primarily of historical significance. The plague also had a lasting impact on the country’s history; the Plague Column in Vienna’s Graben still serves as a reminder of the 1679 epidemic, which claimed the lives of some 12,000 people in the capital. New research findings from Asia now show that the roots of this plague extend even deeper into human history than previously thought. For medical research in Austria—such as at the Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology at MedUni Vienna—such paleogenetic studies provide valuable data on the evolution of pathogens. The last reported case of plague in Austria occurred decades ago, but the bacterium Yersinia pestis has been with humankind for at least 55 centuries.

Source: World – South China Morning Post | Original Article