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GMJ News > GMJ Briefs > ๐Ÿšจ Ancient DNA reveals plague was already killing humans 5,500 years ago

๐Ÿšจ Ancient DNA reveals plague was already killing humans 5,500 years ago

GMJ
Last updated: 19/06/2026 09:19
By
Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze
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1 min read|75 words
๐Ÿšจ Breaking Newsvia ScienceDaily Health

Plague was already a deadly killer 5,500 years ago, long before cities, farming, or the rat-infested conditions usually linked to historic outbreaks. By analyzing ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer cemeteries in Siberia, researchers discovered early plague strains in nearly 40% of the individuals studied and found evidence of rapid family-based outbreaks that wiped out many children and young teenagers.

This is a developing story.

Source: Ancient DNA reveals plague was already killing humans 5,500 yearsโ€ฆ

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ByProf. Giorgi Pkhakadze
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Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD, is Editor-in-Chief of the Georgian Medical Journal and Chair of the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG). He is Professor and Head of the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences at David Tvildiani Medical University, and Secretary/Treasurer of the UEMS Section of Public Health. ORCID: 0000-0001-7609-4515.

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