Infectious Diseases
Ancient DNA ties paratyphoid and relapsing fevers to Napoleon’s 1812 retreat
Heather Vogel Imethibitishwa ukweli
Scientists analyzing DNA from 13 soldiers buried in a mass grave in Vilnius, Lithuania, uncovered genetic traces of paratyphoid fever and louse-borne relapsing fever—offering the first direct confirmation of these pathogens in Napoleon’s Grande Armée. The study, published October 24, 2025, in Current Biology, links centuries-old eyewitness reports to modern genomics. ([sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251026021727.htm))
Scientists uncover hidden antibiotic intermediate 100-fold more active than methylenomycin A
Heather Vogel Imethibitishwa ukweli
Researchers from the University of Warwick and Monash University report that pre-methylenomycin C lactone—an overlooked biosynthetic intermediate from Streptomyces coelicolor—shows more than a 100-fold increase in activity over methylenomycin A against Gram‑positive pathogens, including those behind MRSA and VRE. The finding adds momentum to efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance, which was directly linked to an estimated 1.27 million deaths in 2019.