Columbus May Have Brought Syphilis to Europe

Columbus May Have Brought Syphilis to Europe

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After comparing 26 strains of treponemes from Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and the Pacific Islands, the researchers found the strains that caused the sexually transmitted disease originated recently, with their closest relatives being germs collected in South America. In other words, it seems to have come from the New World.

"The movement of diseases between Europeans and Native Americans is often seen as a one-way street, with Europeans bringing germs such as smallpox and measles," Harper said. "But syphilis seems to be an example of a disease that went the other way."

The researchers detail their findings Jan. 15 in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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The study indicated that there is some evidence that syphilis originated in the New World and at some indication that spread could have been by Columbus and his men. The first outbreak in Europe was in 1495 so the timing is correct! This is the first study of syphilis using molecular genetics.

Can you imagine his sailors saying "Honey, look what I got in America!"?

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I actually heard this many years ago.

I guess until now there was no proof.

I did a study in graduate school on the financial impact of patients in a public hospital whose only diagnosis at the time of discharge was alcohol intoxication. The financial costs were astonishing to many.

When I showed the report my dad, he said, "That's what I've been saying for years."

I said, "Yeah, but I proved it."

There's nothing like quantitative data.

reply to post by GradyPhilpott

I guess until now there was no proof.

Hi Grady,

And actually what they found was only supportive evidence.

Our results lend support to the Columbian theory of syphilis's origin

But if I had to bet I would lay it on those sailors!

Originally posted by plumranch
But if I had to bet I would lay it on those sailors!

I saw a show on the History Channel that said that in one of the Polynesian islands, the word for European sailors and the word for sexually transmitted disease are one and the same.

reply to post by Beachcoma

Hi Beach,

Can you imagine Columbus (as well as proceding ship captains) trying to line up a bunch of sailor for the upcoming incredibly dangerous voyage? But if we do find new lands you will have dibs on any native..... And the rest was history!