Historical sheep pox virus DNA research

Researchers led by University College Dublin have utilized ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis to uncover the historical presence of the sheep pox virus (SPPV). By examining biological traces preserved in medieval manuscripts, such as the York Gospels and the Corpus Glossary, scientists identified the virus within the animal skins used to create parchment.

When these findings were integrated with DNA from Bronze Age sheep teeth discovered in Kazakhstan and Russia, the research indicated that sheep pox has affected livestock for at least 3,700 years. The study, published in Science Advances, highlighted that the virus has exhibited “extreme genetic stability over thousands of years,” distinguishing its evolutionary pattern from the human smallpox virus.

The analysis also noted potential cross-contamination in medieval workshops, as traces of the virus were found in parchment made from goat and calf skins. While the disease is not transmissible to humans, it remains a highly contagious pathogen that causes high mortality in young animals and has historically caused significant economic damage to pastoral communities.