Two Unexpected Pathogens Identified in Soldiers of Napoleon’s 1812 Retreat

Two Unexpected Pathogens Identified in Soldiers of Napoleon’s 1812 Retreat: A New Look at a Historical Catastrophe

The remarkable paleogenomic investigation by Nicolas Rascovan (INCEPTION G5) team has revealed the presence of two pathogens—Salmonella enterica Paratyphi C and Borrelia recurrentis—in remains of soldiers from Napoleon’s disastrous retreat from Russia in 1812. This discovery suggests that infectious diseases may have played a much more significant role in the collapse of the Grande Armée than previously imagined.

By analyzing ancient DNA extracted from well-preserved remains, the researchers were able to reconstruct the microbial landscape that affected troops exposed to starvation, extreme cold, and poor sanitary conditions.The dual presence of paratyphoid fever and louse-borne relapsing fever highlights how epidemics can dramatically influence historical events.

Although based on a limited number of samples, the findings represent a major breakthrough in historical microbiology. They also illustrate how modern genomic technologies can illuminate both present and past pandemics, a perspective fully coherent with INCEPTION’s integrative approach to infectious diseases.

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