As reported by the Mayo Clinic (2014), Syphilis, which originates from the bacteria Treponema pallidum, is a sexually transmitted infection that largely spreads through sexual contact. Syphilis derives when a person comes in contact with painless lesions on the genitals, mouth, or rectum of an infected person. Since the initial recording of Syphilis in 1494, the disease outbreak has experienced fluctuations in numbers between genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations throughout the decades. According to a report discharged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), “The rate of primary and secondary syphilis increased 11.1 percent since 2011, with most cases accounting for the increase occurring in gay and bisexual men.”
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The “Columbian” theory holds that Christopher Columbus’ 1492 voyage from the New World to Europe brought the spread of Syphilis. Spreading through the French soldiers during the invasion of Naples, the disease held the name “French disease” until translated into “Syphilis” by Girolamo Frasastoro in 1530. “Pre-Columbian” theories state that Syphilis previously existed in Europe, but was not well documented. To break the dispute, historians and anthropologists have turned to human skeletons for answers. Anthropologists use the skeletal system to distinguish the Syphilis disease; Syphilis alters bone structure, leaving a unique signature. A disease intermediate found between Yaws and Syphilis seized to exist in South America, supporting the “Columbian” theory. The related ailment, Yaws, belongs to a group of germs known as “treponemes”, which researchers correspond to the sexually transmitted infection, Syphilis. On the other hand, anthropologists studying pre-Columbus skeletons found that medieval cases of Leprosy left the same postcranial lesions as Syphilis, supporting the “Pre-Columbian” theory. While these postcranial lesions are common among primal skeletons, they may hold the foundation of this controversy. Despite the distinct theories, a shared message can come from the history of this disease – understanding
The “Columbian” theory holds that Christopher Columbus’ 1492 voyage from the New World to Europe brought the spread of Syphilis. Spreading through the French soldiers during the invasion of Naples, the disease held the name “French disease” until translated into “Syphilis” by Girolamo Frasastoro in 1530. “Pre-Columbian” theories state that Syphilis previously existed in Europe, but was not well documented. To break the dispute, historians and anthropologists have turned to human skeletons for answers. Anthropologists use the skeletal system to distinguish the Syphilis disease; Syphilis alters bone structure, leaving a unique signature. A disease intermediate found between Yaws and Syphilis seized to exist in South America, supporting the “Columbian” theory. The related ailment, Yaws, belongs to a group of germs known as “treponemes”, which researchers correspond to the sexually transmitted infection, Syphilis. On the other hand, anthropologists studying pre-Columbus skeletons found that medieval cases of Leprosy left the same postcranial lesions as Syphilis, supporting the “Pre-Columbian” theory. While these postcranial lesions are common among primal skeletons, they may hold the foundation of this controversy. Despite the distinct theories, a shared message can come from the history of this disease – understanding