The Recurring Issue of Syphilis in Europe: Comment on "Ancient Genomes Reveal a Deep History of Treponema pallidum in the Americas".

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum, whose origin in Europe remains debated. Recent analysis of 5 ancient T. pallidum genomes from Central America surrounding Columbus's time revealed genetic diversity suggesting an emergence of syphilis in Europe after the 16th-century colonization of the Americas. However, this study missed 2 pre-Columbian Mexican genomes and paleopathological evidence of European treponematoses long before the 15th century. These discoveries challenge the notion of a single transatlantic introduction and point to a complex evolutionary history, marked by recombination events and genetic plasticity, suggesting a rhizomatic rather than linear model of evolution.