Paleogenetics
According to paleogenetics, people in Europe could have contracted syphilis as early as the early 15th century. That would refute the common thesis that Christopher Columbus and his team brought the disease from America.
13.08.2020 16.59
Online since yesterday, 4:59 p.m.
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Researchers at the University of Zurich found different subspecies of the bacterium Treponema pallidum in DNA samples from four human skeletons from Finland, Estonia and the Netherlands. A subspecies of this bacterium causes the disease Syphilis. Using molecular dating of the ancient genome and radiocarbon dating of bones and grave remains, they found that the oldest bacteria could have come from the early 15th century. The team around the paleogenetic reports Verena Schünemann now in „Current Biology“.
The first reported European syphilis outbreaks in the late 15th century coincided with Christopher Columbus’ sea voyages to America. Therefore, many researchers assumed that the disease got to Europe from there. Others suggest that syphilis was brought in from West Africa through trade.
Multiple lines
In addition to syphilis, the team also found the pathogen in the bones of the human remains yaws. This infectious disease, also from a subspecies of the bacterium Treponema pallidum caused, occurs today only in the tropics and subtropics. “Our data show, however, that the frame bosom was widespread in Europe at the time,” Schünemann was quoted as saying.
In addition, the researchers discovered another, previously unknown Treponema line in the skeleton from the Netherlands. This disease, which no longer exists today, evidently developed alongside syphilis and yaws.
Origin in Europe?
By analyzing the genetic makeup of the various treponematoses, the scientists were able to conclude that the ancestor of all species must have evolved at least 2,500 years ago. The last common ancestor of all tribes dates back to the 12th to 16th centuries.
The knowledge of the entire Treponema family tree as well as the diversity of treponematoses discovered in the early modern period make possible an origin of syphilis in the ancient world, possibly even in Europe. “According to this, syphilis hardly broke out solely through Christopher Columbus’ trips to America,” said Schünemann. “Maybe we need to revise our existing theses on syphilis and other treponemal diseases.”
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