Medieval Squirrels Unravel Leprosy Mystery: Fur Trade Link Revealed!
Winchester, England – Research suggests that leprosy may have been passed between humans and red squirrels in medieval England, indicating a possible connection to the fur trade. Leprosy, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, was common in medieval England and led to sickness and disfigurement among both rich and poor individuals. Previous studies have shown that people in medieval England, Denmark, and Sweden had a similar strain of leprosy to that found in red squirrels …