Ancient DNA analysis shows that plague remained a recurring threat in Europe for more than 400 years after the Black Death, according to a new study reported by ScienceDaily. Rather than disappearing after the initial outbreak, the bacterium kept coming back in newly evolved lineages.
Researchers traced how these lineages moved across the continent, with trade, migration, and war acting as major routes of spread. They also developed a way to date ancient plague genomes more accurately, helping place the recurring outbreaks on a clearer timeline.
Because this article draws on a single source, there are no contrasting findings to note. The evidence nonetheless underscores how deeply plague was woven into European life long after the medieval pandemic.