Researchers have uncovered the types of bacteria, viruses and parasites that plagued ancient humans across Europe and Asia as far back as 37,000 years ago.

An international team, including researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Lund University, Sweden, Curtin University, Australia, has created an archaeogenetic-based map of human pathogens across both time and geography.

“Infectious diseases have had devastating effects on human populations throughout history, but important questions about their origins and past dynamics remain,” the authors write.