Emily Chan
All in all, the researchers were able to confirm that tuberculosis was present in Central Europe approximately 36,000 to 39,000 years ago during the Late Pleistocene period.
But how did Neanderthals contract tuberculosis in the first place? Across ancient Europe, large animals, particularly bison, showed evidence of having tuberculosis.
So, Neanderthals who were hunting and eating these animals most likely caught the disease from them. Not only was tuberculosis a health risk for early humans, but it also decreased their food sources.
In the future, perhaps additional research can help provide more information about the diseases that affected Neanderthals and what led to their extinction.
