Mexico: the Aztecs have been decimated by a salmonella

in #health7 years ago

Hi dear steemians.....

In the 16th century, millions of Aztecs died in Mexico, because of an epidemic that was named locally "cocoliztli". The bacterium Salmonella enterica that causes enteric fever may have been responsible for many deaths.


Pixabay

Salmonella that causes hemorrhagic fever

In ten skeletons of victims, the researchers identified the bacterium Salmonella enterica Paratyphi C. This salmonella causes enteric fevers, that is to say a high fever, dehydration and gastrointestinal complications. Typhoid fever is one example. One can imagine that the bacterium was brought by the Europeans because it was absent skeletons dating before their arrival. Symptoms suggestive of haemorrhagic fever could be explained by the large amounts of bacteria present in the body, in individuals who were also probably suffering from malnutrition.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-017-0446-6

Follow me @sparganose