East to West or West to East: Plague Spread after the Black Death

• Main Author: Yujun Cui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Biological and Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Limited 2016-07-01
• Series: Infectious Diseases and Translational Medicine
• Subjects: Yersinia pestis
• Online Access: http://www.tran-med.com/EN/abstract/abstract28.shtml

The Black Death, one of the most destructive pandemics in human history, has claimed millions of lives and considerably influenced human civilization. Following the Black Death, plague outbreaks in Europe lasted for several hundred years until late the 18th century. It is generally presumed that the Black Death was caused by Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) and spread from China to Europe in one or more waves. However, because of the lack of etiological research during the medieval period and absence of a natural plague focus in Europe today, the causative agent of this pandemic and its transmission has led to long-term debate among researchers. Thus, several questions remain including whether Y. pestis actually caused the Black Death, whether a natural plague focus existed in medieval Europe and led to post-Black Death plague outbreaks, and whether the Europe plague focus played a role in the spread and evolution of Y. pestis.