Did Columbus spread syphilis? New research challenges longstanding theory about STD's origin

In 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Europe following his journey to the Americas deemed historic and disputed in different circles globally.

Shortly thereafter, a plague dubbed the 'Great Pox' emerged among French soldiers in Italy, marking Europe's initial encounter with syphilis.

Long-standing debates, often tinged with racial and xenophobic ideologies, have surrounded the origin of syphilis.

The Columbus hypothesis, attributing the disease's introduction to the New World, gained traction due to the timing of Columbus' return. But recent findings challenge this narrative.

An international research team has uncovered the oldest case of a syphilis-like disease in 2,000-year-old bones discovered in Brazil.

What does it mean?

Genetic analysis revealed an ancient bacterial subspecies closely related to the treponemal pathogen causing bejel, a disease primarily found in arid regions of Africa, western Asia, and the Mediterranean.

Contrary to expectations, this bejel-like disease in pre-Columbian Brazil suggests the existence of treponemal diseases in South America long before Columbus arrived. However, crucially, they were not the sexually transmitted syphilis that later impacted Europe.

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Environmental scientist Kerttu Majander from the University of Basel notes, "The fact that the findings represent an endemic type of treponemal diseases, and not sexually transmitted syphilis, leaves the origin of the sexually transmitted syphilis still unsettled."

Historical debates over syphilis origins have often centred around Columbus. Recent genetic hints in European bones predating Columbus have fuelled discussions.

The Brazilian study addresses such limitations by discovering a bejel-like disease in a humid area, challenging the geographic confines of its modern counterpart. Human bones in a Mexican cave exhibiting syphilis-like lesions dating back 9,900 years add further complexity.

Archaeologist Verena Schünemann, formerly of the University of Zurich, said, "As we have not found any sexually transmitted syphilis in South America, the theory that Columbus brought syphilis to Europe seems to appear more improbable."

What is the bottom line?

This research encourages further exploration of ancient bacterial DNA in human remains across the continent, hinting at a complex history for syphilis, perhaps rooted in mutations of treponemes existing for millennia.

(With inputs from agencies)