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Treponema pallidum emerged and diversified in the Americas before contact with the Old World.

GeneticsHistoryPathogensSep 1, 2026score 0.382 posts · 2 replies across 1 instances
The posts discuss genomic research regarding Treponema pallidum (syphilis) in ancient American remains. The data suggests the bacterium existed in the Americas prior to Old World contact and may have diversified independently.

Claims

Treponema pallidum emerged and diversified in the Americas before contact with the Old World.
Parent: PathogensEntity: Treponema pallidumSub-entity: Ancient American genomesImpact: neutralDate: Sep 1, 2026Target: Treponema pallidum origins

Source posts

@[email protected]
Malaspinas: most ancient T. pallidum genomes are from dates around Colombian contact. One was isolated from 5500 yr old remains of a person with no disease symptoms. It turned out to be a new subspecies, outgroup to all known subspecies. #ECCB2026
0 boosts · 0 favs · 1 replies · Sep 1, 2026
#eccb2026
@[email protected]
Malaspinas: T. pallidum is found in >10% ancient Ameridian genomes without symptoms. It seems to have emerged and diversified in the Americas before contact with the Old World, and some of the bacterial diversity was lost around that time. #ECCB2026
0 boosts · 0 favs · 1 replies · Sep 1, 2026
#eccb2026