Scientists identify earliest case of disease spillover in Neanderthal man: Reports

In a key development, scientists have discovered one of the earliest examples of disease getting transmitted from an animal to a human. The incident befell a Neanderthal man who got ill during butchering or cooking raw meat, reported CNN. Scientists have started analysing the skeleton of the man that was found in a cave near the La Chapelle-aux-Saints village in France in 1908.

After 100 years since finding him, scientists are now able to find new data regarding the lives of Neanderthals through his bones. Reportedly, the man was recognised as “Old Man of La Chapelle” and his bones were the first full Neanderthal skeleton to be discovered. As per the report, the man was believed to be in his 50s or 60s at the time of death nearly 50,000 years back. The man had advanced osteoarthritis in his spinal column and hip joint, CNN cited a study. 

Disease transmitted from animal to human 

Dr Martin Haeusler, a specialist in internal medicine and the head of the University of Zurich’s Evolutionary Morphology and Adaptation Group at the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine after re-examining has made a different analysis, as per the report. Haeusler told CNN that all the transformations in the bones could not be properly described through osteoarthritis. Furthermore, Haeusler pointed out that some of the changes in the bones could have been caused due to inflammatory processes. During the analysis, Haeusler compared the pathological changes in the skeleton and it resulted in the identification of “brucellosis”. The findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

What is Brucellosis?

According to WHO, brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused due to Brucella species, which particularly infect cattle, swine, goats etc. The disease can be transmitted from the infected animal to human through direct contact. The disease can be transmitted by consuming contaminated products of animals or by inhaling airborne agents and most of the cases have been caused due to unpasteurised milk or cheese from infected goats or sheep. According to WHO, Brucellosis is found across the world and is reported in most countries. The disease can be prevented based on surveillance and the prevention of risk factors.

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