Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Ancient Sheep Pox Virus DNA Found in Medieval Manuscripts

Scientists have discovered traces of the sheep pox virus in historic manuscripts, indicating the disease has affected European livestock for thousands of years. This finding suggests that historical documents could serve as a source for studying past animal diseases.

Researchers analyzed medieval manuscripts from Britain and continental Europe, dating from the 8th to 14th centuries. They found sheep pox virus DNA not only in sheepskin parchment but also in materials made from calf, goat, and even paper, suggesting cross-species infection or contamination during parchment production.

The manuscripts indicate the sheep pox virus has infected European livestock for at least 3,500 years. Traces in Bronze Age sheep teeth from Russia and Kazakhstan push this history back to approximately 3,700 years ago.

In total, 21 ancient sheep pox virus genomes were recovered, spanning from about 1700 B.C.E. to 1917 C.E.

Comparing ancient viral DNA with modern samples allowed researchers to create a genetic family tree, illustrating the evolution of different sheep pox virus lineages.

Analysis suggests that major capripoxvirus lineages diverged from a common ancestor between 11,500 and 3,700 years ago, coinciding with human livestock management changes.

The study also revealed that the sheep pox virus genome has remained remarkably stable over millennia, which could inform future strategies against the pathogen.

These findings are particularly relevant given ongoing sheep and goat pox outbreaks in Greece, highlighting the continued threat of this disease.

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