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ScienceJun 21, 2026

Ancient DNA Reveals Deadly Plague Was Killing Children 5,500 Years Ago

An international team led by Cambridge University published findings in Nature on June 17, 2026, showing that Yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind bubonic plague, was triggering fatal outbreaks in small hunter-gatherer communities near Lake Baikal in Siberia as long as 5,500 years ago. Analysis of ancient DNA from teeth at four burial sites revealed the oldest known plague genomes and showed that the ancient strain carried a genetic superantigen making it especially lethal for children, who make up over 60 percent of identified victims. The discovery pushes back plague's deadly history by more than 1,500 years, long before the dense urban settlements previously thought necessary for major outbreaks.

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