Almost 500 years after the collapse of the Aztec society, scientists finally discovered that in just five years, 15 million people died in the Indian state.
Fall of the Aztec nation
In 1545, about 473 years ago, the Aztec nation collapsed. People began to complain of intense fever and excruciating headaches. Shortly thereafter, they started bleeding from their eyes, mouth and nose. Then all the Indians died.
By 1550, 15 million people, representing 80% of the Aztec population, had been wiped out by an unknown disease. For centuries, scientists have tried in every possible way to understand how such a deadly event could have happened, and how an unknown disease could penetrate Mexico.
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Now, almost 500 years later, the answer can be found
The locals described the disease as cocoliztli, which in Aztec Nahuatl means motion sickness. Using DNA data obtained from the teeth of long-dead victims, the researchers were able to conclude that the epidemic was probably caused by typhoid "intestinal fever" caused by Salmonella enterica, in particular its subspecies known as Paratyphi C.
What symptoms characterize the infection of the organism with Paratyphi C?
Paratyphi C is a bacterial pathogen known to cause stomach infections and fever. These bacteria are spread through contaminated food or water. They are similar to salmonella, the infection of which in modern society is associated with raw eggs. They were the ones who killed the Aztecs.
Using data from the DNA of twenty-nine Indian skeletons affected by cocoliztli, the scientists were able to test bacterial pathogens. The only bacterium that has been identified is Parathyphi C. This has led researchers to believe that this bacterium is the most likely cause of the mass death of the Aztecs.
Nevertheless, the team of scientists made it clear that there may be other pathogens that were unknown to humans, and such a version cannot be completely ruled out. The research results were published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
The epidemic was spread by European settlers
In addition to asking about the cause of the epidemic, the research team also claims to have been able to pinpoint the origin of the outbreak. According to scientists, the European colonizers brought the epidemic.
The most likely scenario is that animals carrying the pathogenic paratyphitis C were brought to Mexico by settlers from Europe. The immune system of white people could fight the disease. However, the Aztecs, who had never been exposed to such a disease, could not cope with the consequences of a terrible disease.
It is believed that diseases such as influenza, smallpox and measles, and other pathogens were also carried by people from Europe.
Maya Muzashvili