Infectious diseases and the First Epidemiological Transition in Central and Western Eurasian prehistory : a review in light of the aDNA revolution

Martín-Vela, Andrea (author), Jiménez-Jáimez, Víctor (author)

The hypothesis of a First Epidemiological Transition postulates that, with the advent of the Neolithic, the proximity to domesticated animals would have increased exposure to zoonotic pathogens, whereas the population growth and concentration that often follows the introduction of agriculture would have led to a high rate of transmission of infectious diseases. In this paper, we will synthesize the history of research on this issue. We will then use recently published data, coming mostly from aDNA studies in Central and Western Eurasia, to test the hypothesis. We find out that the hypothesis is mostly supported by the new evidence.

• Language: English
• Keywords: First Epidemiological Transition, evolutionary mismatch, bioarchaeology, palaeogenomics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 20-43
• Numbering: Vol. 52
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180561
• ISSN on article: 1854-2492
• DOI: 10.4312/dp.52.20
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271748867

Copyright

Podatek o licenci CC BY-SA 4.0 je naveden na pristajalni strani članka (glej zgoraj izvorni URL). (Datum opombe: 11. 3. 2026)

• Publication date in RUL: 11.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Documenta Praehistorica
• Shortened title: Doc. Praehistor.
• Publisher: Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1854-2492
• COBISS.SI-ID: 220673792

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Nalezljive bolezni in ‘prvi epidemiološki prehod’ v prazgodovini srednje in zahodne Evrazije : pregled v luči revolucije stare DNK

Abstract

Hipoteza o prvem epidemiološkem prehodu predpostavlja, da je na začetku neolitika bližina udomačenih živali povečala izpostavljenost zoonotskim patogenom, rast prebivalstva in zgoščenost poselitve, ki pogosto spremljata začetke kmetovanja, pa naj bi povzročila visoko stopnjo prenosa nalezljivih bolezni. V prispevku smo najprej povzeli zgodovino raziskav, zatem pa s pomočjo nedavno objavljenih podatkov, ki večinoma izhajajo iz študij stare DNK v srednji in zahodni Evraziji to hipotezo preverili. Ugotovili smo, da jo novi podatki večinoma podpirajo.

• Keywords: prvi epidemiološki prehod, evolucijsko neskladje, bioarheologija, paleogenomika

Projects

• Funder: Spain, Ministry of Education
• Funding programme: Beca de colaboración