Finding Malaria Through Ancient DNA

Centuries before the first known case of malaria in Africa, researchers have now found signs of malaria in skeletons from Italy. Two adult remains were found to have this ancient infectious disease in their DNA. Studying ancient DNA helps scientists better understand present-day malaria.

An article by Amara McLaughlin, CBC News states that

The team at McMaster University was assisted by scientists at the National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography in Rome and the University of Sydney.  They extracted DNA from the teeth of 58 adults, using a technique called "targeted enrichment" technology to recover the malaria parasite that is centuries old. 

Continue reading  Researchers uncover the existence of malaria 2,000 years ago during the Roman Empire