Discovery of Ancient Syphilis-related Bacterium in Colombian Human Remains

Traces of a bacterium related to syphilis have been found in a bone from a person who lived in the mountains of Colombia over 5000 years ago. This discovery reveals that the corkscrew-shaped bacteria infecting humans existed much earlier than previously believed, challenging the notion that the spread of pathogens was solely linked to the rise of intensive agriculture.

Today, Treponema pallidum causes syphilis, bejel, and yaws. The origins of these diseases have been debated among researchers, with ancient DNA and skeletal remains providing limited insights. The detection of Treponema pallidum genome in a 5500-year-old human bone sample in the Bogotá savannah was unexpected, especially since there were no skeletal signs of infection in the individual.

Living in a hunter-gatherer community that frequently interacted with wildlife, this finding challenges the belief that diseases became prevalent only after the advent of intensive agriculture. According to Davide Bozzi from the University of Lausanne, the ancient genome belonged to a distinct lineage of T. pallidum, suggesting that syphilis-related pathogens had diversified in the Americas millennia ago.

While the discovery points to an early presence of these pathogens in the Americas, researchers like Kerttu Majander from the University of Zurich speculate on the existence of extinct lineages and different diseases caused by these pathogens in the past. Understanding the evolution of these pathogens is crucial in identifying genetic factors that enhance their infectivity and virulence.

Overall, the ancient bacterium found in Colombian human remains sheds light on the long-standing association between Treponema pallidum and human populations, offering valuable insights into the evolutionary history of these pathogens and their impact on human health.