The article discusses the historical impacts of the Yersinia pestis bacterium, which has caused three major pandemics: the Justinianic Plague, the Black Death, and the third plague pandemic in 1855. Research led by Guillem Mas Fiol from the Institut Pasteur reveals that, contrary to expectations, this bacterium has adapted by lowering its virulence to increase its transmission rate. This finding suggests an evolutionary strategy that challenges conventional wisdom about pathogen behavior, highlighting the complex relationship between a pathogen's lethality and its ability to spread through host populations.
The Justinianic Plague in 541 killed nearly 50 million, followed by the Black Death claiming a third of Europe, and the third pandemic in 1855 took 12 million lives.
Guillem Mas Fiol's research at the Institut Pasteur reveals that Yersinia pestis downplayed its virulence to enhance its spread—an unexpected evolutionary strategy for survival.
Mas Fiol explains that typical theories suggest pathogens reduce lethality for better transmission, but this did not apply to plague, which relies on host deaths for transmission.
The three plagues are among the deadliest diseases in history, with Yersinia pestis evolving in a unique manner that contrasts with common pathogen behavior.
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