Beyond Typhus: Uncovering a Landscape of Disease in Napoleon’s Retreat from Moscow
The retreat of Napoleon’s army from Moscow in the winter of 1812 was a catastrophic event,but the precise causes of the immense suffering and death toll have remained a subject of ancient and scientific inquiry. While typhus was long suspected as a primary culprit, recent advancements in DNA sequencing technology are revealing a more complex picture – a “mixing pot of disease” contributing to the army’s demise.
A 2006 study initially detected Rickettsia prowazekii, the bacterium responsible for typhus, in the teeth of Napoleon’s soldiers. However, limitations in technology at the time meant the scope of the investigation was constrained.A new study, utilizing high-throughput sequencing – a method capable of analyzing millions of DNA fragments simultaneously, even from highly degraded samples over 200 years old – has expanded upon these findings.
Researchers examined 13 samples from the site of the retreat and, surprisingly, found no traces of typhus.while this doesn’t invalidate the earlier 2006 study, it demonstrates the presence of “several different infectious diseases” impacting the soldiers.Nicolás Rascovan, head of the Microbial Paleogenomics unit at the Institut Pasteur and co-author of the study, emphasized that the small sample size prevents a definitive understanding of the exact impact of each disease. He also suggested that more pathogens likely played a role and remain undetected.
The study represents a importent step forward in understanding historical epidemics. As Cecil Lewis, an ancient DNA researcher at the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, noted, these advancements allow for a more nuanced understanding of historical events. Studying ancient pathogens provides insight into their evolutionary paths, including those now extinct and those that have evolved into present-day threats. This knowlege is crucial for anticipating and managing future outbreaks.
While paratyphoid fever and relapsing fever, related illnesses, still exist today, they are less prevalent and deadly than in the past. napoleon himself survived the retreat, but the decimation of his army considerably contributed to his eventual downfall a few years later.
Rascovan highlighted the rapid technological progress in the field,noting the dramatic improvements as the 2006 study. He expressed excitement about the future possibilities for uncovering even more details about the infectious disease landscape of the past.
