It wasn’t just rats. Body lice may have helped spread bubonic plague. A study suggests that body lice are capable of transmitting Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague.

When it comes to the spread of the plague, rats and fleas usually shoulder most of the blame. But lice may have been just as responsible for transmitting the disease, according to a new study.

The classical route of infection for this disease, which still circulates in 2024, was and remains rat fleas — small biting parasites that transfer the bacteria from wild rodents to people.

Don't just blame rat fleas. Lice may have helped spread 'black death' plague. June 3, 2024 9:37 AM ET. Ari Daniel ...

Maybe Rats Aren't to Blame for the Black Death. A provocative new study suggests that medieval plagues spread via fleas and lice on people.

When it comes to the spread of the plague, rats and fleas usually shoulder most of the blame. But lice may have been just as responsible for transmitting the disease, according to a new study.

A study published Tuesday in PLOS Biology suggests that body lice may be more efficient at transmitting the plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, than previously thought and thus might have helped ...

Rats and their fleas take the rap for spreading the plague, but lice that infest people may share the blame. Human body lice can harbor plague-causing bacteria and can transmit the disease by ...

The mystery: How did bubonic plague spread so rapidly? Could rat fleas have done it all? A new study points the finger at lice as possible accomplices.

Could rat fleas have done it all? A new study points the finger at lice as possible accomplices. Skip to content. TV 8 | News 88.7 | Classical | Mixtape. October 08, 2024. 77 °F. PBS Passport; UH; ...