Leprosy passed between medieval squirrels and humans, study suggests

Genetic analysis of Winchester samples shows similar strains of disease and supports theory that fur trade played role in spread

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.