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New Study Reveals Bacteria, Not Typhus, Killed Napoleon's Soldiers

10/25/2025

Summary

Scientists Uncover Pathogens

Recent research from the Institut Pasteur provides new insights into the causes of death during Napoleon Bonaparte's 1812 retreat from Russia.
Scientists analyzed DNA from the teeth of 13 soldiers in a mass grave in Lithuania and identified two pathogens: Salmonella enterica and Borrelia recurrentis.
These findings challenge the belief that typhus was the primary cause of death, suggesting that these bacteria, along with extreme cold and hunger, contributed to the soldiers' decline.
The limited sample size complicates the assessment of these pathogens' overall impact on the army's fate.

History

Researchers Identify Historical Pathogens

Researchers from the Institut Pasteur identified Salmonella enterica and Borrelia recurrentis in remains of French soldiers from Napoleon's 1812 retreat in Lithuania, published in Current Biology.
The findings challenge the belief that typhus was the primary cause of death.
They suggest paratyphoid fever and relapsing fever contributed to the decline, along with starvation and cold.
Experts caution against generalizing from a small sample of 13 teeth, noting multiple infections likely.

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Scientists Uncover Pathogens

Recent research from the Institut Pasteur provides new insights into the causes of death during Napoleon Bonaparte's 1812 retreat from Russia.
Scientists analyzed DNA from the teeth of 13 soldiers in a mass grave in Lithuania and identified two pathogens: Salmonella enterica and Borrelia recurrentis.
These findings challenge the belief that typhus was the primary cause of death, suggesting that these bacteria, along with extreme cold and hunger, contributed to the soldiers' decline.
The limited sample size complicates the assessment of these pathogens' overall impact on the army's fate.

1 / 2