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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Nicola Davis Science correspondent

Leprosy passed between medieval squirrels and humans, study suggests

Disease England Winchester
Red squirrel on a branch.
Squirrels were widely kept as pets in medieval England, aside from being wanted for their fur. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Media

Leprosy passed between humans and red squirrels in medieval England, research suggests, supporting the theory that the fur trade could have played a role in the spread of the disease.

Leprosy is one of the oldest infectious diseases recorded in humans and is typically caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae.

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