History of Syphilis and Its Origin

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by spiral-shaped bacterium, Treponema pallidum.(PBS.Org). The sexually transmitted form of syphilis is caused by a corkscrew-shaped bacterium called Treponema pallidum, which is one of a closely-related group of bacteria called the treponomes. Other treponomes are responsible for the three non-venereal forms of syphilis, which primarily affect the skin and are most common in early childhood. Venereal syphilis probably mutated out of one of those other forms most likely, researchers say, from the bacterium that causes yaws (PBS,Secrete of the dead). When that happened, however, is the big mystery.

The disease has been known under many names during history due to debate of its origin. Nations after nations have blamed one another as result of its aftermath, the French would say its the German diseas, the German would then say its the spanish disease and inturn the spanish would call it the Italian disease. Throughout history, Syphilis had, had a prominent role in history and literature for the last several hundred years. Since its recognition in 15th-century Europe as a new disease, syphilis has been the subject of great mystery and legend. Mainly where did the disease originate from?.

Traditionally, the most widely accepted theory was that the venereal form of the disease arrived on the shores of Europe along with Christopher Columbus's crew, when they returned in 1493 from a journey to the New World (PBS,Secret of the dead). Indeed, although no cases of the disease seem to have existed in Europe before Columbus sailed to the New World, it had reached epidemic levels on the continent by around 1500. Even moreso Syphilis, overtime was undesrtood to be a sexualy transmitted disea...

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...agree that there is simply too much evidence of pre-Columbian syphilis in the Old World to ignore. Furthermore, Archaeologists have found ancient skeletons with tell-tale signs of syphilis, such as thickening in the lower leg bones and pitting in the skull, at half a dozen sites in England, and also in Italy, Israel, and other locations in Europe (PBS, Secrete of the dead). With such findings and facts, within a very short time, the pre-Colombian theory gained a lot of momentum and recognition around the scientific community moreso i would say than the colombian theory

Therefore, in conlcusion, the clear implication is that the venereal form of syphilis was already present in Europe before Columbus's voyage. And based on the facts that i thus far stated, i personally am more than ever now, swayed into agreeing with the Pre-Colombian theory.

Works Cited

PBS.org