02045nas a2200313   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653002500054653001500079653002500094653002200119653001200141653002300153653002000176653001300196100001200209700001100221700001500232700002000247700001200267700001300279700001800292245007100310856008100381300001100462490000700473520123700480022001401717       2021                            d  c01/202110aMycobacterium leprae10aOne Health10aancient biomolecules10aancient pathogens10aleprosy10apalaeomicrobiology10apalaeopathology10azoonosis1 aUrban C1 aBlom A1 aPfrengle S1 aWalker-Meikle K1 aStone A1 aInskip S1 aSchuenemann V00aOne Health Approaches to Trace 's Zoonotic Potential Through Time.  uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8566891/pdf/fmicb-12-762263.pdf  a7622630 v123 a<p>Hansen's disease (leprosy), mainly caused by infection with , has accompanied humanity for thousands of years. Although currently rare in Europe, there are over 200,000 new infections annually in South East Asia, Africa, and South America. Over the years many disciplines - palaeopathology, ancient DNA and other ancient biomolecules, and history - have contributed to a better understanding of leprosy's past, in particular its history in medieval Europe. We discuss their contributions and potential, especially in relation to the role of inter-species transmission, an unexplored phenomenon in the disease's history. Here, we explore the potential of interdisciplinary approaches that understand disease as a biosocial phenomenon, which is a product of both infection with and social behaviours that facilitate transmission and spread. Genetic evidence of isolated from archaeological remains combined with systematic zooarchaeological and historical analysis would not only identify when and in what direction transmission occurred, but also key social behaviours and motivations that brought species together. In our opinion, this combination is crucial to understand the disease's zoonotic past and current potential.</p>
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