After nearly eight centuries of accusing the black rat for spreading the bubonic plague, scientists say they have compelling evidence to exonerate the much-maligned rodent. In the process, they’ve identified a new culprit: gerbils.

It’s always the cute ones you have to watch out for, isn’t it?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/24/after-8-centuries-rats-exonerated-in-spread-of-black-death-gerbils-implicated/

I've never liked them , sneaky looking sods

Hope this doesn't start a mass gerbilcide

Removed some off-topic posts and the replies to them.

Closed with the approval of the OP, who says he never intended to discuss the cause of the bubonic plague, the subject of the news article in his starting post, but just tried to be funny.