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takyon writes:

Scientists have found extracted Mycobacterium leprae DNA from a medieval skeleton:

A medieval skeleton found at a UK burial site has revealed clues to the history of leprosy, say researchers. The remains were excavated from the site of one of UK's earliest known hospitals, near Winchester, Hampshire. Scientific detective work suggests the man was a religious pilgrim who may have caught the disease on his travels. [...] Radiocarbon dating indicated that the remains were buried during the late 11th or early 12th Century. Scientists believe the man was a religious pilgrim. He was interred with a scallop shell, the traditional symbol of a pilgrim who has made the journey to the shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

[...] The research suggests the genetic make-up of the bacteria that causes leprosy has not significantly changed since the disease peaked in medieval Europe. This might explain why transmission of the disease has slowed in modern times as human populations develop resistance. The minor genetic differences between strains is likely to reflect different origins of the disease through past movements of people or trade from different parts of the world.

Also at Live Science.

Investigation of a Medieval Pilgrim Burial Excavated from the Leprosarium of St Mary Magdalen Winchester, UK (open, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005186) (DX)

Original Submission