[Origin of Syphilis in Europe: End of a Controversy?]

Abstract

Upon Christopher Columbus's return, an unknown disease was discovered in Barcelona, Spain, in 1493, before appearing in Naples, Italy, in 1494/1495 during a war with France. Initially described among the troops, it quickly spread throughout Europe as the armies withdrew. The question arises whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship with Columbus's return to Spain or if it is merely a coincidence, as syphilis seems to have been present in Europe before Europeans arrived in the Americas, though it may not have been identified as such. This would explain why it was not clearly recognized by the population or described in the available literature. Recently, archaeological and paleopathological research on human remains from the modern era, supported by genetic data, has clearly established the presence of syphilis in ancient Europe. These findings also suggest that syphilis may not have existed in the Americas during Columbus's time. However, it seems possible that Columbus's companions brought back to Europe a non-venereal strain of treponematosis, which could have mutated while adapting to new environmental conditions, increasing its pathogenicity and altering its mode of transmission when transferred to new individuals, possibly prostitutes. In turn, this venereal syphilis strain may have infected the American continent during the Spanish conquests and/or the transatlantic slave trade. This study provides some recent arguments to fuel the controversy.