Ancient pathogen became deadlier when humans started wearing wool

4 months ago 7

Hostinger Web Hosting

NEWS
22 May 2025

Ancient genomes reveal that a bacterial fever jumped from human-borne ticks to lice around the time wool textiles became common.

A deadly infection that is spread by body lice might have emerged thousands of years ago thanks to a new fashion trend: wool.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

$32.99 / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01631-w

Subjects

Latest on:

Read Entire Article

Hostinger Web Hosting