DNA Analysis Reveals the Pathogens That Decimated Napoleon’s Army in 1812

When Napoleon and his multinational soldiers began their retreat from Russia in 1812, they faced extreme challenges that would ultimately lead to the decimation of their forces. While the harsh winter conditions, lack of supplies, and fierce Russian resistance took a toll on the troops, a new study has shed light on the pathogens that played a significant role in weakening the already exhausted soldiers.

Historical accounts documented cases of typhus among the soldiers, characterized by symptoms such as fevers, headaches, and rashes. However, a recent study conducted by microbiologist Rémi Barbieri and his team from Paris Cité University has revealed a different story. By analyzing ancient DNA extracted from the teeth of 13 soldiers, the researchers found evidence of paratyphoid caused by a strain of Salmonella enterica, and relapsing fever caused by the bacterium Borrelia recurrentis, transmitted by body lice.

The absence of Rickettsia prowazekii, the bacterium responsible for typhus, raised questions about the exact pathogens that contributed to the demise of Napoleon’s army. While the louse-borne relapsing fever may not have been fatal on its own, it significantly weakened the already exhausted soldiers, making them more susceptible to other diseases.

Barbieri and his team acknowledge that their analysis is based on a small sample size and that other diseases such as typhus could have also contributed to the deaths of the soldiers. Mass graves discovered in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2001, containing over 3,000 bodies, serve as a haunting reminder of the tragic events that unfolded during the Russian retreat.

Despite the limitations of their study, the researchers emphasize the need for further analysis on a larger scale to fully understand the spectrum of epidemic diseases that afflicted Napoleon’s army. A combination of fatigue, cold, and various diseases like paratyphoid fever and louse-borne relapsing fever likely played a role in the downfall of the soldiers.

This groundbreaking research has been published on the bioRxiv platform, offering new insights into the medical challenges faced by Napoleon’s army during the ill-fated Russian campaign of 1812.