The Mystery Of The Village That Beat The Black Death | Riddle Of The Plague Survivors | Chronicle

The Black Death, one of history's most devastating pandemics, swept through Europe in the Middle Ages, killing approximately 25 million people. A remote English village, Eem, however, seemed to resist the plague, puzzling scientists and historians. Stephen O'Brien, a scientist, embarked on a detective-like quest to uncover how Eem's inhabitants survived. His work potentially sheds light on our ability to survive the deadliest diseases of our times. The plague's rapid spread was facilitated by trade routes and fleas on rats, leading to high fatality rates. Yet, Eem's story offers a different narrative, one of survival against the odds.

During the plague's reign of terror, a quarantine strategy was implemented in England, confining families to their homes for 40 days to curb the disease's spread. Despite the grim prospects, some survived, a fact discovered by plague historian Justin Champion. He found evidence of survivors by comparing plague registers with burial records in London. This led to the question of what made some individuals resistant to the plague. Dr. Stephen O'Brien, intrigued by this mystery, sought to understand the biological underpinnings of this resistance. He identified Eem, a village in Derbyshire with a history of surviving the plague, as an ideal site for his research.

The Eem villagers, despite being isolated with the plague for over a year, saw half of their population survive. This unusually high survival rate perplexed scientists. The village's rural setting and less dense living conditions were unlikely to have halted the plague's spread. Records indicated that some people never fell ill, while others recovered against the odds. Stephen O'Brien hypothesized that the survivors' genetic makeup might have provided them with a biological advantage. He proposed that the descendants of Eem's plague survivors might carry genes that offer resistance to infectious diseases.

Stephen O'Brien's investigation into the genetic basis of disease resistance led to the discovery of the Delta 32 gene, a mutant gene that plays a crucial role in the body's defense against diseases. The presence of this gene in Eem's descendants was tested, and it was found in 14 individuals. This gene's prevalence in Eem was compared with other regions globally, revealing that its levels were only matched in parts of Europe where the Black Death had spread. The timing of the gene's emergence in the European population, about 700 years ago, coincided with the Black Death's arrival. This suggested that the Delta 32 gene might have been the protective factor that shielded some individuals from the plague.

While many in Eem resisted the plague entirely, others contracted the disease only to make a remarkable recovery. This raised questions about the Delta 32 gene's role in resistance. It was theorized that individuals with two copies of the Delta 32 gene, like Elizabeth Hancock, were completely protected from the plague. Those with only one copy, such as Margaret Blackwell, might have had a delayed onset of death, allowing their immune system to mount a defense against the bacteria. The Delta 32 gene was found to be a genetic mutation that potentially blocked the plague bacteria from entering human cells, offering a scientific explanation for the villagers' survival.

The Delta 32 gene's global distribution was studied, revealing its absence in Africa, South America, and the Far East. Its high levels in Europe, mirroring the Black Death's path, suggested that it conferred a significant survival advantage during the plague. The gene's sudden rise in the European population around 700 years ago aligned with the timing of the Black Death, indicating a correlation between the gene's prevalence and the plague outbreak. The Delta 32 gene was identified as a potential protective factor against not only the plague but also against HIV, the virus causing AIDS. This discovery opened new research avenues into developing preventative measures against infectious diseases.

Steve Crone's resistance to HIV, despite multiple exposures, led to the discovery that the Delta 32 gene also acted as a barrier against HIV infection. This gene, inherited from European ancestors who survived the Black Death, provided a genetic shield against AIDS. The scientific community was astounded to learn that one-fifth of the population had a delayed onset of AIDS if infected with HIV, and about one percent had virtually total resistance due to two copies of the Delta 32 gene. This genetic resistance was the first of its kind discovered against an infectious disease in humans, offering hope for future preventative treatments and cures.