Plague germ found in Armenian man who died in 951 BC

The plague germ, which caused numerous deaths in the 14th century, existed almost 2800 years ago.

Scientists came to this conclusion after DNA tests from Bronze Age people in Europe and Asia, Reuters reports.

The new research, published in Cell magazine on Thursday, says the scientists studied the teeth of 101 people who died in Russia, Poland, Estonia and Armenia. Seven of them had evidence of Yersinia pestis infection.

Apart from this, the researchers discovered that the germ underwent mutation which made it capable of being transmitted by fleas.  The Yersinia pestis with this mutation was found in a person who died in Armenia in circa 951 BC.

Previously, the oldest evidence of plague was considered to have appeared in 540 AD.