Researchers analyzed medieval manuscripts from Britain and continental Europe, as well as archaeological remains of Bronze Age sheep, and managed to preserve genetic traces of the sheep pox virus (SPPV). This work allowed them to reconstruct the evolution of the virus from approximately 1700 B.C. to the beginning of the Modern Era, spanning a period of more than 3,700 years in the history of this pathogenic agent that affects Eurasian flocks.
The new study, published in the journal Science Advances, presented 21 new ancient genomes of SPPV. Several of these genomes were obtained from medieval parchments, demonstrating that these historical documents can serve as an unexpected source of ancient genetic material. This innovative approach allowed researchers to deepen their knowledge about the evolutionary history of a virus that has historically had a significant impact on livestock farming.
