"Napoleon's 1812 Army Devastated by Typhus and Other Diseases"

Napoleons 1812 invasion of Russia resulted in catastrophic losses for the Grande Armée, exacerbated by a deadly typhus epidemic that decimated troops, underlining the impact of disease in warfare.

• During the French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon led over half a million soldiers, but by the end of the campaign, only tens of thousands returned to France.
• The campaign was marked by a devastating typhus epidemic, caused by a pathogen that led to widespread infection among the troops, compounding the losses from battle and harsh conditions.
• Research has recently revealed DNA evidence linking the outbreak of typhus and relapsing fever to the conditions faced by the Grande Armée during the 1812 invasion.