High Throughput, Multiplexed Pathogen Detection Authenticates Plague Waves in Medieval Venice, Italy
Background
Historical records suggest that multiple burial sites from the
14th–16th centuries in Venice, Italy, were used during
the Black Death and subsequent plague epidemics.
Methodology/Principal Findings
High throughput, multiplexed real-time PCR detected DNA of seven highly
transmissible pathogens in 173 dental pulp specimens collected from 46
graves. Bartonella quintana DNA was identified in five
(2.9%) samples, including three from the 16th century and two from
the 15th century, and Yersinia pestis DNA was detected in
three (1.7%) samples, including two from the 14th century and one
from the 16th century. Partial glpD gene sequencing
indicated that the detected Y. pestis was the Orientalis
biotype.
Conclusions
These data document for the first time successive plague epidemics in the
medieval European city where quarantine was first instituted in the 14th
century.
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Waves in Medieval Venice, Italy
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