"Uncovering Pre-Columbian Syphilis Origins in Brazil's Ancient Genomes"

A study presents evidence of pre-Columbian treponemal disease in the New World from a nearly 2,000-year-old Brazilian burial site, revealing reconstructed genomes of T. pallidum basal to the modern diversity of the bejel-causing subspecies, T. pallidum endemicum. The findings challenge previous hypotheses and shed light on the evolutionary history and geographical adaptability of treponemal infections, providing valuable insights into the origins and spread of syphilis and other treponematoses.