Medieval Humans Evolved to Fight Off Leprosy
15th June 2013
Leprosy, the disease that causes skin lesions and eventually permanent disfigurement, was a constant threat in Medieval Europe, with as many as one in 30 people infected in some areas. But something remarkable happened around the mid 1500s — disease rates dropped sharply, according to historical records, although scientists were not quite sure why. Now an international team of researchers has uncovered DNA evidence that suggests humans rapidly evolved to fight off the disease.