Black Death confirmed as Bubonic Plague

[Suu]

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/08/30/Black-Death-confirmed-as-bubonic-plague/UPI-40421314745623/

he Black Death that decimated the population of Europe in the 14th century was definitely caused by bubonic plague, a DNA analysis of medieval bones has shown.

While some researchers have suggested the epidemic was in fact caused by a virus such as Ebola, the analysis of DNA from a London plague burial has confirmed the "plague" bacterium Yersinia pestis was responsible, NewScientist.com reported Tuesday.

Researchers from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, looked for Yersinia DNA in the bones of Black Death victims, a task complicated by possibility of contamination, they said.

"When we extract DNA from the skeletons, we also get DNA from their environment," researcher Hendirk Poinar said.

But careful sampling of bones and teeth using a molecular "probe" found DNA belonging to a strain of Y. pestis unlike any known today, and not found in skeletons buried elsewhere in London before the Black Death.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/08/30/Black-Death-confirmed-as-bubonic-plague/UPI-40421314745623/#ixzz1Wc0HRJbk

[Luna]

"Unlike any known today."

What bet some shithead decides to try to revive this shit and get a live strain of it...

[Cain]

Not entirely confirmed, though.  A number of scientists and historians are calling for further tests on graves from before the Black Death, as a test group.

There are so many anomalies between the medieval accounts of the Black Death and the bubonic plauge outbreak in the Third Pandemic, which western dotors meticulously documented, it would have to be a remarkably different strain.  It'd have to be like pneumonic plague, but much more lethal and virulent.

[Suu]

I found another article too. They said that this particular strain could be extinct (thankfully).

[Doktor Howl]

"Unlike any known today."

What bet some shithead decides to try to revive this shit and get a live strain of it...

People die of plague every year.

[Suu]

I think you told me that it runs rampant in the desert.

[Doktor Howl]

I think you told me that it runs rampant in the desert.

The entire Southwest is a plague zone, particularly in animals.

It just doesn't turn into an epidemic, for a multitude of reasons.

But it does kill people:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/ruiz.htm

[Cain]

There are also still periodic outbreaks in India.  Probably in Xinjiang too, though you don't hear about that as much, for obvious reasons.

[Doktor Howl]

There are also still periodic outbreaks in India.  Probably in Xinjiang too, though you don't hear about that as much, for obvious reasons.

Oh, you hear about it some...It's just that nobody cares.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/world/asia/04china.html

[Cain]

Funnily enough, I do recall that one...I think the only reason it got international play is because it was pneumonic though.

And even the article notes outbreaks are more common in Africa.  Which, lets face it, never gets media attention, unless we're waging a war there.

[LMNO]

Doesn't the South also have those amoeba that turns your brain into jelly?


Ah, yes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri#United_States

[Doktor Howl]

Doesn't the South also have those amoeba that turns your brain into jelly?


Ah, yes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri#United_States

Turns out that's far more widespread than people thought.  It's in the Colorado River, for example.

[Luna]

Ewg.  And people wonder why I don't swim...

[Doktor Howl]

Ewg.  And people wonder why I don't swim...

At least we don't have guinea worms.  America isn't ready for that, no matter how many times they show Alien on the SciFi channel.

[Cain]

This kid is being prepared by responsible parents