Unearthing Napoleon's Epidemic: Ancient DNA Unveils Secrets of the 1812 Retreat

In a groundbreaking study, DNA extracted from the teeth of thirteen French soldiers from Napoleon's 1812 retreat has revealed new pathogens that plagued the Grande Armée. Scientists have identified the bacteria responsible for paratyphoid fever and relapsing fever, diseases previously undocumented in historical records of this catastrophic campaign.

The study, led by Nicolás Rascovan at Paris's Institut Pasteur, showed that these infections were part of a broader array of afflictions suffered by soldiers, alongside cold and starvation. The Vilnius site in Lithuania, containing thousands of soldiers' remains, confirms that Napoleon's forces were debilitated not just by typhus and trench fever, as previously found, but by a complex web of infectious diseases.

This research underscores the potential of ancient DNA to illuminate historical narratives, suggesting the dire sanitary conditions endured by the troops. Rascovan notes that further studies could further uncover the disease landscape of 1812, enhancing our understanding of how infections spread under such severe conditions.