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Viseprest t1_jaexnfv wrote

Reply to comment by DarkAlman in [eli5] Black plaque was not exactly cured, how did it just disappear from Europe in 1353? by Linzold

Rats were likely not the culprits, rather it was lice spreading from human to human.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42690577

> "The conclusion was very clear," said Prof Stenseth. "The lice model fits best."

> "It would be unlikely to spread as fast as it did if it was transmitted by rats.

> "It would have to go through this extra loop of the rats, rather than being spread from person to person."

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fubo t1_jaf08wu wrote

Once a blood-borne infection is sufficiently common, it doesn't matter which little biting parasite is carrying it. It may have jumped from rat-flea-human to human-louse-human transmission.

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