Medieval manuscripts reveal 3,700 years of sheep pox history

An international team of researchers, led by University College Dublin, has successfully recovered sheep pox virus (SPPV) DNA from medieval manuscripts. The study, published in Science Advances, utilizes the biological information preserved in ancient parchments to reconstruct the history of the pathogen.

By analyzing historical documents such as the York Gospels, the Corpus Glossary, and copies of the Epistles of Saint Paul, scientists identified traces of the virus within the animal skins used to create the parchment. When combined with DNA from Bronze Age sheep teeth found in Kazakhstan and Russia, the findings indicate that sheep pox has affected livestock for at least 3,700 years.

The research also noted the presence of the virus in parchment made from goat and calf skins, suggesting potential cross-contamination in medieval workshops where various animal hides were processed together in lime baths. While sheep pox is not transmissible to humans, it is a highly contagious disease that causes high mortality rates in young animals and has historically caused significant economic damage to pastoral communities.