Americas

Researchers Believe They’ve Narrowed Down Cause of 16th Century Epidemic that Killed Most of Mexico

Researchers Believe They’ve Narrowed Down Cause of 16th Century Epidemic that Killed Most of Mexico
Several plagues that swept through Mexico and Guatemala after the Europeans arrived desecrated the native populations there. UrikAmador/Pixabay [CC0 Creative Commons]
Holly Kellum
Holly Kellum
Washington Correspondent
|Updated:

For hundreds of years, scientists have been trying to uncover the cause of the plagues that killed millions of residents in Mexico and present-day Guatemala.

Europeans who came to the area brought germs that the indigenous populations didn’t have an immunity to, and after their arrival, the area was hit by several epidemics.
Holly Kellum
Holly Kellum
Washington Correspondent
Holly Kellum is a Washington correspondent for NTD. She has worked for NTD on and off since 2012.
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