The origins of syphilis have long been a subject of debate among scientists and historians. The disease is believed to have spread across Europe in 1494, with the first reported cases occurring during French King Charles VIII’s invasion of Italy. However, recent findings suggest that syphilis may have originated in the Americas before Christopher Columbus’s voyage.
Researchers used ancient DNA from skeletons dating back to the 16th century found in museum collections in the Americas to investigate the disease’s origins. The study, published in Nature, revealed that the bacteria responsible for syphilis, Treponema pallidum, shared a common ancestor with modern-day infections around 9,000 years ago.
The team estimated that the variants of T. pallidum found in the Americas prior to European contact were not sexually transmitted and did not cause the same symptoms as syphilis. However, they may have undergone an evolutionary jump around 1500, potentially mutating into the sexually transmitted form just before or after Columbus’s return from his first voyage.
While some researchers argue that it is too early to conclude where syphilis originated, experts believe that the combination of historical, archaeological, and genetic evidence supports an American origin for the disease. The findings suggest that T. pallidum evolved on the American continents with great genetic diversity, contradicting earlier theories that the bacteria were already present in Europe before Columbus’s arrival.
The study provides new insights into the history of syphilis and highlights the importance of integrating multiple lines of evidence to understand the origins of complex diseases. As the disease continues to pose challenges due to antibiotic resistance, further research is necessary to better comprehend its spread and evolution over time.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/syphilis-microbe-circulated-americas-thousands-years-european-contact