Leprosy's Wild Ride Ancient Origins Rewrite History!

Leprosy's Ancient American Secret: The Disease's Origins Deeper Than We Thought

Leprosy, a disease shrouded in history and often misunderstood, has just revealed another layer of its complex past. For centuries, it was believed that Europeans brought leprosy to the Americas during colonization. However, groundbreaking research published in Science has challenged this long-held assumption, suggesting that a form of leprosy was present in the Americas long before the arrival of Columbus and other European explorers.

A Pre-Columbian Presence

An international team of scientists, driven by a surprising discovery, unearthed DNA evidence of Mycobacterium lepromatosis, a relatively recently discovered leprosy-causing bacteria, in ancient remains from North and South America. This finding pushes back the timeline of leprosy in the Americas by potentially thousands of years.

• The study focused on Mycobacterium lepromatosis, a less common leprosy-causing bacteria.
• Researchers analyzed both modern leprosy patient samples and ancient DNA.
• Key finding: Evidence of M. lepromatosis in pre-Columbian remains from Canada and Argentina.

Challenging the Accepted Narrative

"Leprosy has long been considered a disease brought to the Americas by Europeans, which is true for the case of M. leprae. But our study shows that at least one of the two species that causes it—M. lepromatosis—was already here centuries earlier, and probably evolved locally for thousands of years,” explained Nicolas Rascovan, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and lead author of the study. “This essentially changes how we understand the disease’s history in the Americas."

This revelation forces us to reconsider the historical narrative of leprosy and its spread across the globe.

The Enigma of Mycobacterium lepromatosis

While Mycobacterium leprae is the primary culprit behind most leprosy cases worldwide, M. lepromatosis presents a unique puzzle. Discovered in 2008, it seems to be more prevalent in the Americas. However, much remains unknown about this bacterium, largely due to the difficulty in culturing it in the lab.

Unanswered Questions and Future Research

This research opens doors to a plethora of new questions. Where has M. lepromatosis been hiding for all these years? What are its animal reservoirs? And how did it eventually spread to other parts of the world? Researchers are already investigating potential animal hosts, drawing parallels to cases where leprosy (caused by M. leprae) has been linked to armadillo exposure in the United States.

Here are some key questions researchers are hoping to answer:

1. What are the animal reservoirs for M. lepromatosis?
2. How did the bacteria spread from the Americas to other continents?
3. Why does a strain of M. lepromatosis infect red squirrels in the British Isles?

A Neglected Pathogen No More?

Despite the advancements in treatment and sanitation that have made leprosy rare in many parts of the world, it remains a public health concern in several countries. The discovery of M. lepromatosis's pre-Columbian presence and its potential to become an emerging pathogen highlights the need for continued research and vigilance.

"All of this suggests that this is not just a neglected disease, but a neglected pathogen—one whose history and spread are only now beginning to be understood," Rascovan concluded.

This fascinating glimpse into leprosy's past serves as a reminder that even the oldest diseases can still hold secrets, and that understanding their origins is crucial for tackling their present and future impact on global health. The unearthing of this pre-Columbian leprosy strain reshapes our understanding of the disease's history and serves as a potent reminder of the importance of continued research into neglected pathogens. The journey to fully unravel the mysteries of M. lepromatosis has just begun.

Tags: Leprosy, Ancient disease, Americas, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, DNA evidence, Pre-Columbian leprosy, Leprosy origins, Leprosy research, Bacterial infection, Skin disease

Source: https://gizmodo.com/leprosys-origins-are-even-weirder-than-we-thought-2000608223