Leprosy Was American Scourge Long Europeans Arrive
ScienceJUN 2
Study: Ancient DNA Reveals Pre-Columbian Leprosy in Americas
Above: Gillis W. Long, Hansen's Disease Center — Leprosarium. Image copyright: Najlah Feanny/Contributor/Corbis via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The discovery fundamentally transforms the world's understanding of disease patterns in pre-Columbian Americas. The presence of M. lepromatosis across vast distances suggests the existence of sophisticated networks of human contact and movement throughout the continent. The findings demonstrate that complex diseases were already established in Indigenous populations long before European contact, challenging Eurocentric narratives of disease introduction.
Narrative B
While this discovery reveals pre-Columbian leprosy, it doesn't diminish the significant impact of European-introduced M. leprae, which became the dominant strain after colonization. The rapid displacement of native M. lepromatosis by M. leprae following European contact demonstrates the profound biological and epidemiological changes that accompanied colonization.