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Scientists recently discovered traces of an ancient disease in an unlikely place: the pages of a 1,000-year-old gospel.
The discovery, centered on the York Gospels, was announced by University College Dublin (UCD) in early September.
In a study recently published in Science Advances, UCD researchers traced thousands of years of evolution of the clavate virus using ancient DNA preserved in manuscripts and animal remains.
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This highly contagious disease affects sheep but does not appear to infect humans. Researchers detected its DNA in animal skins used to make parchment, according to the university.
The York Gospels were written in Canterbury in the late 900s by Anglo-Saxon scribes and were later transported to York Minster, where they have been housed for centuries.
The York Gospels, seen at left, were written by Anglo-Saxon scribes in Canterbury in the late 900s before reaching York Minster. (Christopher Nicholson/Alamy; iStock)
Unexpectedly, researchers found traces of the chickenpox virus on parchment made from calf and goat skin, suggesting either cross-species infections or contamination during the parchment-making process.
By comparing the manuscripts with DNA recovered from Bronze Age sheep teeth, researchers discovered that sheep pox has been plaguing livestock for more than 3,700 years.
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In a statement, UCD described the York Gospels as a “biological time capsule” that preserved evidence of the virus for centuries.
“Research reveals that pox has threatened livestock for more than 3,700 years,” the university said.
York Minster, seen above, is one of England’s most famous Gothic cathedrals. It has been home to the 1,000-year-old York Gospels for centuries. (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
“Unlike other skeletal materials, teeth can preserve genetic evidence of infection over thousands of years, providing a valuable record of past epidemics.”
Smallpox can spread quickly through herds and be fatal, especially to young animals, making outbreaks a potentially serious threat to livestock-dependent communities.
“A highly contagious disease, pox spreads quickly and can affect a large portion of a herd in a short time,” UCD said.
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“The disease is particularly dangerous because it can cause very high mortality rates, especially in young animals, and significantly reduce productivity by damaging wool, meat and milk yields.”
Louis L’Hôte, holder of a doctorate. A candidate at UCD who was the lead author of the study, told university officials that the discovery shows that parchment can retain traces of animal pathogen DNA for centuries.
The York Gospels, seen above right, were written by Anglo-Saxon scribes in Canterbury in the late 900s before reaching York Minster. (iStock; Cambridge, Trinity College)
“It is possible that archives and libraries around the world also contain genetic traces of animal epidemics in the past,” L’Hôte said.
“These genomes help us understand how these pathogens evolved and how they affected past societies, such as sheepskin virus, which we show has affected Eurasian sheep herds for at least three and a half millennia.”
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L’Hôte added that the pathogen remains a threat today and that studying its ancient DNA could help researchers better understand how to eradicate it.
“We find that unlike the smallpox virus, the smallpox virus genome was very stable over the past few millennia.”
“People around the world continue to fight against this pathogen: there is currently a smallpox outbreak in Greece, causing widespread economic damage,” he said.
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“We find that unlike the smallpox virus, the smallpox virus genome was very stable over the past few millennia,” he added.
“This could mean that previous genetic changes were very important in how the chickenpox virus evolved to infect its host, which could help us fight the pathogen in the future,” he added.
An Irish shepherd takes care of a flock of sheep. The smallpox virus, one expert said, “has affected Eurasian sheep herds for at least three and a half millennia.” (iStock)
Fox News Digital has contacted The Host for comment and additional information.
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A growing number of ancient DNA discoveries have shed new light on diseases that afflicted humans and animals centuries ago.
Earlier this year, scientists discovered smallpox DNA in centuries-old Chilean mummies, providing the first evidence of the disease in this part of South America during the early colonial period.
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At Yale, researchers analyzed the ancient DNA of a 16th-century Italian leader and found evidence that he died of malaria, helping to solve a centuries-old mystery surrounding his sudden death.
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