The authors, analyzing Lucan's epic poem "Bellum civile / Pharsalia", examined the historical premises and the epidemiological conditions useful to understand some facts reported in book IX of the epic, where a probable epidemic infectious disease episode may have been described. After a careful reading of the Latin text and a revision of the phylogenetic history and characteristics of viruses responsible for the African hemorrhagic fevers, the authors suggest that in the text of Lucan may have been reported the very first historical description of an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak.
Did the Latin poet Lucan report an Ebola virus disease outbreak in his epic Pharsalia? An epidemiological report in Roman literature
Meledandri G
Writing – Review & Editing
;
2021-01-01
Abstract
The authors, analyzing Lucan's epic poem "Bellum civile / Pharsalia", examined the historical premises and the epidemiological conditions useful to understand some facts reported in book IX of the epic, where a probable epidemic infectious disease episode may have been described. After a careful reading of the Latin text and a revision of the phylogenetic history and characteristics of viruses responsible for the African hemorrhagic fevers, the authors suggest that in the text of Lucan may have been reported the very first historical description of an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak.File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
