How was the Black Death transmitted in medieval Europe?

The Black Death was a devastating plague pandemic across Europe and Eurasia from 1346 to 1353. It was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which primarily spread through flea bites. Additional transmission methods included contact with infected tissues or fluids and respiratory droplets during pneumonic cases.

What we know

• The Black Death was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. [2]
• The disease is primarily spread by flea bites, though contact with infected tissues or fluids can also transmit it. [2]
• In pneumonic cases, the illness could spread through respiratory droplets. [2]
• Confirmation of Yersinia pestis DNA associated with plague sites came in 2010 and 2011. [5]

Still open

• Some epidemiologists from the 1980s to the 2000s challenged whether the Black Death was truly caused by plague based on its unusual spread, though later DNA confirmation largely settled the debate.

Where to go next

• what followedWhat were the economic consequences of the Black Death?
• how it workedHow did Yersinia pestis cause infection?
• how we knowHow did historians confirm Yersinia pestis DNA in plague sites?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the Great Famine of 1315–1317?
• compared withHow did the Black Death compare to other plague pandemics?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a medieval pandemic lead to higher wages for survivors?A massive workforce reduction caused by the pandemic suddenly increased the demand for surviving laborers, leading to higher wages and better conditions.

Sources

• [1]Black Death (Wikidata Q42005) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Black Death · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Consequences of the Black Death · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Early Middle Ages · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Theories of the Black Death · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. When did David Hume die?
2. /What museums are located on Exhibition Road?
3. /How was the Black Death transmitted in medieval Europe?