Black Death: Gerbils Blamed For Plague

Scientists believe that giant gerbils were to blame for the Black Death that caused terror in Europe in the 14th century.

Until now, the general belief was that rats brought the deadly disease to Europe's shores from Asia, where they were brought in by land and sea trade routes from the ancient Silk Road trading post.

Millions of people across medieval Europe died over four centuries as fresh outbreaks claimed more lives.

It was believed the disease spread through the rats as they travelled, leading to the sporadic outbreaks that occurred over the 400 years.

Now, scientists say, it could have been gerbils who arrived from Asia and who thrived in what were then warmer climates.

The research, headed by Nils Christian Stenseth from Norway's University of Oslo, involved analysis of more than 7,700 historical documents relating to the outbreaks.

They found that the plague recurred in Europe about 15 years after a warmer spell in Asia and continued to do so.

The researchers said: "We provide evidence for repeated climate-driven reintroductions of the bacterium into European harbours from reservoirs in Asia.

"Our analysis finds no support for the existence of permanent plague reservoirs in medieval Europe."

The Black Death to which the scientists refer is the epidemic known as the second plague pandemic, which lasted in Europe until the early 19th century.

The general belief was that it was introduced once into Europe and survived from that time on.

The new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , proposes the plague was brought over from Asia via the gerbils many times during the period.