"A recently published paper in Nature suggests that marks of the bubonic plague can still be found in genes that are involved in the immune system (the defense that our body uses as a means of protection from invading agents and also from other diseases like cancer). It says that four gene variants appeared to become more common after the pandemic. These gene variants may have contributed to the survival against the plague.

Well, that was a great deal. However, these genes exacted a price in terms of our health as well – two of the four gene variants are associated with an increased risk of some autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. Experts have lauded the findings of the paper titled “Evolution of immune genes is associated with the Black Death”. They believe it has unveiled some crucial aspects of human genetics related to the deadliest pandemic. Ziyue Gao, a population geneticist at the University of Pennsylvania commented, “It’s very innovative work. We always wonder what the forces are that drive population evolution.”"