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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Newcomers from the east brought deadly microbe to Europe

Ancient DNA points to Eurasian steppe as infamous bacterium’s birthplace.
Modern plague bacteria on the spines of an Oriental rat flea.

Modern plague bacteria (Yersinia pestis, yellow) on the spines of an Oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis. Credit: NIH/SPL

Ancient people of the Eurasian steppe who trekked west may have carried plague to Europe.

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Nature 551, 544-545 (2017)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-017-07293-7

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