New research indicates that leprosy existed in the Americas long before European explorers arrived, challenging previous historical assumptions about the disease’s origins.
Recent findings from scientists at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, reveal that leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, was present in the Americas well before the arrival of European explorers. This discovery alters the historical narrative surrounding the disease and its transmission.
For years, it was widely believed that the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae was solely responsible for leprosy in the Americas and that it was introduced by early European settlers. However, the identification of a second bacterium, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, suggests that leprosy was already endemic among Indigenous populations 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 in a recent news release.
The study, which involved collaboration with the French National Center for Scientific Research and the University of Colorado, was initiated after Mycobacterium lepromatosis was identified in a Mexican patient in 2008 and later in red squirrels in the British Isles in 2016. Researchers utilized advanced genetic techniques to reconstruct the genomes of Mycobacterium lepromatosis from ancient individuals found in Argentina and Canada. Their findings revealed that the two strains from these distinct regions were closely related within the Mycobacterium genome family tree, indicating that the bacteria spread rapidly across the continent.
The results confirmed that Mycobacterium lepromatosis had already established itself throughout North and South America long before European contact. The research team engaged with Indigenous communities, various international institutions, and archaeologists to analyze over 800 DNA samples from ancient human remains and recent medical cases showing 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 and is treatable with antibiotics. Currently, there are approximately 225 reported cases in the U.S. and around 250,000 cases worldwide, as noted by the CDC.
This groundbreaking research not only reshapes our understanding of leprosy’s history in the Americas but also opens new avenues for further investigation into the disease and its transmission pathways, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in uncovering historical truths.
These findings underscore the complexity of human history and the need to reassess long-held beliefs about the spread of infectious diseases. As researchers continue to explore the origins and evolution of Mycobacterium lepromatosis, the implications of this study may extend beyond leprosy, potentially influencing our understanding of other infectious diseases as well, according to Fox News.