University of Zurich paleogeneticists have uncovered signs that Europeans could have been infected with the sexually transmitted disease before the 15th century.
The exact origins of syphilis, which wreaked havoc in Europe from the late 15th to the 18th century, has been a mystery. The first cases of syphilis in Europe were reported at the end of the 15th century, which led to the theory that it was carried back from the New World by Christopher Columbus and his sailors.
Now a research team at the University of Zurich has found indications that Treponema pallidum, the bacteria behind the disease, already existed in Europe before Columbus set sail for America.
Their findings are based on genetic material taken from skeletons in Finland, Estonia and the Netherlands. The team used molecular dating of the ancient bacterial genomes and traditional radiocarbon dating of the samples to estimate the age of the pathogens.
“It seems that the first known syphilis breakout cannot be solely attributed to Columbus’ voyages to America,” said Verena Schünemann, professor of paleogenetics at the University of Zurich’s Institute of Evolutionary Medicine. She said that the strains may have co-evolved and interchanged genetic material before and during the intercontinental contacts.
“We may yet have to revise our theories about the origins of syphilis and other treponemal diseases.”
The research, published in the Current BiologyExternal link journal, also discovered a pathogen belonging to a new, unknown treponemal lineage that gives scientists reason to believe that the predecessor to syphilis could be over 2,500 years old.
“This unforeseen discovery is particularly exciting for us, because the lineage is genetically similar to all present treponemal subspecies, but also has unique qualities that differ from them,” says primary author Kerttu Majander from the University of Zurich.
Syphilis swept across the world in the 16th century as one of most prominent documented pandemics. Despite effective antibiotics, the Swiss federal health authorities report that the number of syphilis cases is increasing again worldwide.
Popular Stories
More
Banking & Fintech
Switzerland jostles to attract mobile millionaires
This content was published on
Potentially toxic arsenic compounds can form in the human body when seafood is consumed. This is caused by arsenobetaine, which is often found in seafood. It can be converted into partially toxic substances by intestinal bacteria.
This content was published on
Swiss retailer Coop is expanding its programme to avoid meat waste. A corresponding pilot project is gradually being extended to the entire store network.
This content was published on
Women and foreign nationals are rarely found on the boards of directors of Swiss small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Almost 700,000 people moved house in Switzerland in 2023
This content was published on
In Switzerland, 9.3% of the population moved in 2023. This was the lowest rate in over ten years, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
New trial in Zurich for lawyer in ‘cum-ex’ scandal
This content was published on
German lawyer Eckart Seith, considered in Germany to be the whistleblower in the cum-ex transaction scandal, is set to appear for trial again in Switzerland on Monday.
Swiss Federal Railways rated second best in Europe
This content was published on
The best railway company in Europe is Trenitalia, according to NGO Transport and Environment (T&E). Swiss Federal Railways came second.
Berset: ‘Democracy is regressing in several countries’
This content was published on
Democracy is backsliding in a number of nations and needs to be strengthened, says Alain Berset, secretary general of the Council of Europe.
Fall of Assad: Switzerland calls for reconciliation in Syria
This content was published on
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, the Swiss foreign ministry has called on all parties to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Red alert for diseases in Swiss red-light districts
This content was published on
Pietro Vernazza, head of the infectious diseases department at St Gallen cantonal hospital, and his team examined 600 prostitutes for STDs. The study has not yet been published, but a report in the SonntagsZeitungExternal link said the initial results show that every fifth prostitute is infected but without showing any symptoms or problems. The women…
For the Swiss, condoms mean safety but not pleasure
This content was published on
Even if the population is aware of the condom’s protective powers against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), this knowledge does not translate into systematic use, according to a survey by the Sotomo research institute, commissioned by the Federal Office of Public Health. No rubber means more risks For 81% of the 1,019 participants in the survey, the condom…
This content was published on
Researchers have used a mathematical model to calculate a possible second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.