Have Arthritis or Crohn’s? It Might Be Because Your Ancestors Survived the Plague
Scientists now believe that descending from a survivor of the Black Death, the plague which wiped out one-third of Europe nearly seven hundred years ago, makes individuals more susceptible to certain medical conditions.
There are four particular DNA variants that were associated with surviving the plague as it first swept across the world in the mid-1300s, according to a new paper published in Nature. At least two of those mutations, which are carried by small mammals and the fleas that accompany them, are now linked to autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Whoa this is so interesting! Those of us with autoimmune disorders apparently came from hardy stock that survived the plague. Our ancestors' strong immune systems got us here, but in today's world, our super-charged immune systems betray us. https://t.co/PKnKZ9mrf5
— Tara Parker-Pope (@taraparkerpope) November 2, 2022
McMaster University professor Hendrik Poinar told The Washington Post the genes “provided tremendous protection during hundreds of years of plague,” but that they’re now linked to autoimmune conditions, as they contribute to hyperactive immune systems. (Read more from “Have Arthritis or Crohn’s? It Might Be Because Your Ancestors Survived the Plague” HERE)
Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.
