New study reveals leprosy existed in the Americas before European explorers arrived
Fox NewsThursday, June 5, 2025 at 9:30:02 AM
Turns out leprosy wasn’t just a European import to the Americas—researchers found evidence of Mycobacterium lepromatosis in ancient remains, meaning the disease was already here before Columbus or other explorers showed up. This flips the script on what we thought we knew about leprosy’s history, suggesting it had deeper roots in the region than previously believed.
Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a niche historical footnote—it reshapes how we understand disease spread and Indigenous health before European contact. If leprosy was already present, it raises questions about how it got there (trade? migration?) and how it impacted early societies. For historians and scientists, it’s a reminder that the past still has surprises left to uncover.
— Curated by the World Pulse Now AI Editorial System
