Ötzi the Iceman: Lyme Disease 5,000 Years Ago?
2025-01-29
The discovery of Ötzi the Iceman, a 4000+-year-old mummy, has revealed a shocking secret: he suffered from Lyme disease. Analysis of his remains found fragments of the Borrelia burgdorferi genome, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease. This pushes back the disease's known history by thousands of years, predating its 1982 discovery in Lyme, Connecticut. Intriguingly, Ötzi's tattoos, located near joints, suggest potential ancient therapeutic practices mirroring modern acupuncture, possibly in response to Lyme-related joint pain. This finding offers crucial insights into tick research and significantly reshapes our understanding of Lyme disease's timeline.