Cute gerbils, not rats, to blame for the plague

Rats may have been unfairly blamed for European outbreaks of the bubonic plague, according to new research. The Black Death was in fact brought to the continent by Asian gerbils, scientists at the University of Oslo claim. The discovery could mean the history of the disease needs to be rewritten, according to those leading the study. The plague arrived from Asia in the 14th century, becoming one of the biggest causes of death for the next 400 years. Black rats were long blamed for the outbreaks, carrying the plague which was thought to be passed on to fleas that then jumped on to humans.

But studies of historical weather patterns – worked out through researching tree rings – indicate that the outbreaks tended to happen when there was warm and wet weather in Asia and not in Europe. That seems to imply that the plague began in Asia, and was carried by gerbils down the Silk Road and into Europe. "Such conditions are good for gerbils. It means a high gerbil population across huge areas and that is good for the plague," professor Nils Christian Stenseth, who led the study at the University of Oslo, told the BBC.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/cute-gerbils-not-rats-to-blame-for-the-plague-10067030.html

 

I HEARD that the plague was actually spread by the bacteria-carrying fleas that were hitchhiking around on those rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and whatever !


MY suggestion for reducing any such future outbreaks ?

KEEP more rodent-killing moggies !

           

I think you are right, Bee. At least I heard the flea theory too.

Another thing I heard was that the plague was exacerbated by a Christian belief that cats were associated with the devil. This led to an over-killing of cats, which--ecosystems being what they are--led to an increase of what we call varmints.,,rodents, squirrels, chipmunks and, I guess, perhaps gerbils.

Original Quill wrote:I think you are right, Bee. At least I heard the flea theory too.

Another thing I heard was that the plague was exacerbated by a Christian belief that cats were associated with the devil. This led to an over-killing of cats, which--ecosystems being what they are--led to an increase of what we call varmints.,,rodents, squirrels, chipmunks and, I guess, perhaps gerbils.

that's what ive always believed too. and non hygienic living conditions didn't help as many families slept with their animals making it easier for the fleas to find new blood.

still it had to come from somewhere and at that point Asia was THE trading king, but how exactly did the gerbils carry it (and lets face it to most people back then they would have be seen as rat like creatures so maybe that is where confusion started) .

Europeans blaming Asians for all their troubles again

I don't suppose a Pied Piper would have helped with Gerbils then

Lone Wolf wrote:  

I HEARD that the plague was actually spread by the bacteria-carrying fleas that were hitchhiking around on those rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and whatever !


MY suggestion for reducing any such future outbreaks ?

KEEP more rodent-killing moggies !

           

Cats get plague too.. it is only that rodents are so tough that they can survive with plague ridden fleas for long enough to spread it..
your moggie would be puss filled sores after the first rat.

and Quill it was that Bathing was Evil.(plus open sewers)... the cats thing too but that is true. Domestic Cats are not native to Europe they are not part of the ecosystem. they come from north Africa/middle east. In England Foxes Badgers and birds of prey would be the natural population controls for rodents

And the Black death did spread from Asia It is Recorded by the court of Kublai Kahn and as you say their trading empire spread all the way to Austria.

I've heard that too.