Lice, Not Just Fleas, Linked to Bubonic Plague Spread
New research suggests that human body lice may have played a role in spreading the Black Death plague in the 14th century, alongside the commonly blamed rat fleas. The study, published in PLOS Biology, found that lice can efficiently transmit the plague bacteria Yersinia pestis, potentially offering an additional route of transmission during the pandemic. This discovery adds a new dimension to our understanding of how the plague spread so rapidly and remains relevant for current public health concerns.