Measles virus and rinderpest virus divergence dated to the sixth century BCE

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Paleovirology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Infectious disease emergence is often linked to societal changes like the Neolithic revolution.
• Measles (Morbillivirus) is a highly contagious viral disease with a debated emergence timeline in human populations.
• Rinderpest virus is a closely related virus, and its divergence from measles provides a molecular clock reference.

Observation:

• A 1912 measles virus genome was sequenced to provide historical genetic data.
• Selection-aware molecular clock modeling was employed to analyze viral evolution.
• The divergence date between measles virus and rinderpest virus was estimated.

Findings:

• The molecular clock analysis suggests measles virus potentially emerged as early as the sixth century BCE.
• This estimated emergence date predates previous hypotheses for measles establishment in humans.
• The findings align with the historical rise of large cities and increased human population density.

Implications:

• The study refines the understanding of measles' ancient origins and its co-evolution with human societies.
• It provides a potential timeline for measles establishment, linking it to early urbanization.
• Further research can explore the specific conditions in ancient urban environments that may have facilitated measles transmission.