The Justinian Plague and the Black Plague have been compared and contrasted for so long regardless of their 800 years distance from one another. The plagues affected millions of lives and resulted in ridiculously high death tolls. The questions remains whether or not the two plagues are related strains or if they are completely separate. A study done by Lancet Infectious Diseases showed incredible findings, however, through the extraction of DNA from two plague victims' teeth. They were able to reconstruct the genome and study the pathogens. The bacterial family Yersinia pestis is what both the Justinian Plague and the Black Plague hailed from, but the Black Plague is entirely different from the Justinian.
The two strains are both unlikely to be seen again, regardless of their origins. However, there is still no definite reason for the occurrence of the first or the resurgence of the second. There is evidence stating they both occurred after periods of much rainfall and resulted in climatic stability once the plagues were extinct. Perhaps it was the climate that created a perfect environment for such pathogens or the actual immunities of the people in these time periods could have been the reason. Either way, the authors who posted in the Lancet Infectious Diseases doubt another plague will ever arise.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-plague-genetic-20140127-story.html
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