Ancient sheep pox virus found in medieval texts
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
An international team from University College Dublin discovered ancient DNA of the sheep pox virus within medieval manuscripts.
Researchers examined animal skins used to make parchment to reconstruct 3,500 years of viral history. They identified 21 ancient genomes of the sheep pox virus, a disease that can devastate entire flocks of sheep. The team analyzed copies of the Epistles of Saint Paul, written in Ireland (Northumbria) between 700 and 800 AD, among other texts.
By studying the virus’ genetic material preserved in the parchment, scientists gained insight into the long-term evolution of this historically significant animal disease. Sheep pox remains a threat to livestock today, and understanding its past could help improve control measures. This method of extracting ancient viral DNA from historical documents offers a novel way to study the evolution of viruses and their impact on animal populations.
