The discovery of Mycobacterium lepromatosis indicates that leprosy existed in the Americas long before European explorers arrived, reshaping historical perceptions of the disease.
Recent research has revealed that leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, was present in the Americas long before the arrival of European explorers. This finding challenges the long-held belief that the disease was introduced to the continent by settlers.
Scientists from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, in collaboration with a U.S. university, announced the discovery of a second species of bacteria responsible for leprosy. Previously, it was widely accepted that Mycobacterium leprae was the sole bacterium causing the disease, which was thought to have been brought to the Americas by early European explorers and settlers.
The identification of Mycobacterium lepromatosis suggests that this bacterium has been infecting humans in the Americas for at least 1,000 years prior to European contact. Dr. Maria Lopopolo, the first author of the study and a researcher at the Laboratory of Microbial Paleogenomics at the Institut Pasteur, emphasized the significance of this discovery. “This discovery transforms our understanding of the history of leprosy in America. It shows that a form of the disease was already endemic among Indigenous populations well before the Europeans arrived,” she stated.
The study was initiated after Mycobacterium lepromatosis was first identified in a Mexican patient in 2008, followed by its detection in red squirrels in the British Isles in 2016. Researchers utilized advanced genetic techniques to reconstruct the genomes of Mycobacterium lepromatosis from ancient individuals in Argentina and Canada. Their findings indicated that the two strains from these regions were closely related, suggesting that the bacteria spread rapidly throughout the continent.
The results confirmed that Mycobacterium lepromatosis had already established itself across both North and South America. The research team collaborated with Indigenous communities, various international institutions, and archaeologists, analyzing over 800 DNA samples from ancient human remains and recent medical cases exhibiting signs of leprosy.
Nicolás Rascovan, the lead author of the study at the Institut Pasteur, remarked on the implications of their findings. “We are just beginning to uncover the diversity and global movements of this recently identified pathogen,” he noted. “This study allows us to hypothesize that there might be unknown animal reservoirs.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leprosy can affect the nerves, skin, and eyes of patients, but it is treatable with antibiotics. In the United States, up to 225 people are diagnosed with Hansen’s disease each year, while approximately 250,000 cases are reported globally, as stated by the CDC.
This groundbreaking research not only alters the historical narrative surrounding leprosy in the Americas but also opens new avenues for understanding the disease and its transmission. The study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in uncovering the complexities of human health and disease.
As scientists continue to investigate the origins and spread of Mycobacterium lepromatosis, the findings underscore the need for ongoing research into the historical interactions between Indigenous populations and infectious diseases, reshaping our understanding of public health in the context of global history.
These revelations about leprosy’s presence in the Americas prior to European contact prompt a reevaluation of the historical context of the disease and its impact on Indigenous communities. The research serves as a reminder of the intricate relationship between humans and pathogens throughout history, emphasizing the importance of studying ancient diseases to inform modern public health strategies.
For further details, refer to the study published by the Institut Pasteur.