Ancient DNA Shows Syphilis-Like Diseases Were Widespread in Americas Before Columbus’ Arrival

Researchers have found ancient DNA belonging to the syphilis pathogen in 2,000-year-old human bones unearthed in Brazil. It marked the discovery of the earliest known genomic evidence of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis.

According to Phys.org, the new study challenges existing theories about the spread of syphilis, suggesting that treponematoses, similar diseases, afflicted humans long before explorer Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas.

Genetic Material Belonging to Syphilis Pathogen Found in 2000-Year-Old Bones

The significance of infectious diseases in global health predates even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Advanced laboratory methods now allow researchers to detect minute traces of pathogenic DNA in ancient specimens. This technological capability enables the tracking of historical disease spread and evolutionary processes.

An international research team led by Professor Verena Schünemann from the University of Basel, formerly at the University of Zurich, in collaboration with ETH Zurich and the Universities of Vienna and Sao Paulo, focused on examining prehistoric bones from individuals who lived 2,000 years ago in Brazil's Santa Caterina coastal region.

Pathological bone changes in some subjects indicated an illness reminiscent of syphilis. In a meticulous process using dentists' drilling tools in sterile conditions, researchers extracted tiny bone samples to isolate ancient DNA associated with the syphilis pathogen.

The study highlights that all scrutinized bacterial genomes can be linked to the Treponema pallidum endemicum strain. This Treponema organism that causes bejel belongs to the same family as the bacterium that causes syphilis, pinta, and yaws.

While syphilis presents a worldwide health concern as a sexually transmitted disease, bejel, transmitted through skin contact, is currently limited in very arid regions of Africa and Asia, according to the researchers.

Did Colombus Introduce Syphilis to Europe?

The research noted that endemic syphilis already existed in the humid zones of Brazil over 2,000 years ago, suggesting that people were already becoming infected with endemic syphilis more than 1,000 years before Columbus arrived in the New World.

Ongoing debates among specialists and medical historians center on whether Columbus' crew introduced sexually transmitted syphilis to Europe upon their return in 1492.

The study's emphasis on endemic treponemal diseases in Brazil leaves the origin of sexually transmitted syphilis unresolved, yet the authors posit that treponematoses were widespread in Europe before Columbus' era.

"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," said Schünemann.

Examining prehistoric DNA in Brazilian bones compared to contemporary pathogens reveals occurrences of horizontal gene transfer, emphasizing evolutionary interactions.

This research challenges established narratives about the historical dissemination of syphilis, offering fresh perspectives on the global prevalence of treponematoses spanning two millennia. The team's findings were published in the journal Nature.