‘Black Death’ germ has afflicted mankind longer than imagined

The plague germ that caused the "Black Death" in the 14th century and
other ferocious pandemics has stalked humankind far longer than
previously known.

A study unveiled on Thursday of DNA from Bronze Age people in Europe
and Asia showed the bacterium, Yersinia pestis, afflicted humans as
long ago as about 2800 BC, more than 3,000 years earlier than the
oldest previous evidence of plague.