Did syphilis originate in the New World?

One hypothesis assumes a New World origin, and holds that sailors who accompanied Columbus and other explorers brought the disease back to Europe. Another explanation is that syphilis was always present in the Old World but was not identified as a separate disease from leprosy before about A.D. 1500. read more

Photo by: haveseen Viewpoint: Yes, syphilis originated in the New World and was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus's crew. read more

The origin of syphilis is unknown. Two primary theories have been proposed, with variations on each. There is strong evidence that syphilis was present among the indigenous peoples of the Americas before Europeans traveled to and from the New World. read more

New studies by paleopathologists Bruce and Christine Rothschild favor a New World origin. Ancient and medieval sources have long been cited as evidence for syphilis in Europe before Columbus, but none of the descriptions by Greek and Roman authors are specific enough to be certain. read more

Viewpoint: Yes, syphilis originated in the New World and was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus's crew. The question of the origin of syphilis has been energetically debated since the disease first appeared in Europe in the late fifteenth century, ravaging the continent with an epidemic of great virulence. read more

I spoke with a friend of mine who is a Doctor, and he told me that Syphilis did originate in the Americas, and it devastated Europe as much as smallpox did the Aztecs. read more