Cute squirrels gave medieval Britons leprosy. Or was it the other way around?
Genetic analysis clearly shows leprosy went from one species to the other. But the route is unclear.
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Genetic analysis clearly shows leprosy went from one species to the other. But the route is unclear.
In medieval England, humans lived in much closer quarters with red squirrels than most of us do today.
Researchers discovered leprosy-causing Mycobacterium leprae in medieval UK red squirrels, revealing the disease's spread.
Excavations in Winchester have found something unusual about leprosy in the area. It seems the medieval folk were catching the disease from squirrels.
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.