New study reveals leprosy existed in the Americas before European explorers arrived
Scientists say that a type of bacteria rewrite the history of an infectious and potentially fatal disease to America. And long before the arrival of European explorers.
Paris, Researchers from Institut Pasteur in France, with the help of a US University, recently announced that a second type of bacteria is responsible for the disease known as leprosy or Hansen disease in the United States.
In the past yearsBacteria known as many Mycobacterium leprae It was spread by leprosy and only by early European explorers and settlers in America.
However, the revelation of a second bacteria, an existing coercion, puts the theory of accusing the settlers in his mind because it is already on the continents that call the new world house.
The first known Nadir MPOK strain confirmed in the United States
Bacterium Mycobacterium lepromatosis The researchers existed for 1000 years before the arrival of Europeans and were infected.
The first author of the study and the researcher in the microbial Paleogenomic laboratory in Institut Pasteur. Maria Lopopolo said he changed everything about the leprosy in America.
“This discovery transforms our understanding of the leprosy history in America. Long before Europeans arrive, a species of illnesses is endemic among domestic populations.” He said.
Potentially the deadly zoonotic virus reveals concerns of spreading to people in the USA
Directed by scientists from the microbial Paleogenomic laboratory in Institut Pasteur, the study began with the French National Scientific Research Center and the University of Colorado in the USA. Mycobacterium lepromatosis Red squirrels were found in a Mexican patient in 2008 and in 2016 on the British Islands.
Using advanced genetic techniques to restructure genomes Mycobacterium lepromatosis Argentina and Canada from old individuals, scientists found that two strains from different regions were genetically close. Mycobacterium The genome means that the family tree, ie bacteria, spread rapidly to the continent.
The version said that the results confirmed this. Mycobacterium lepromatosis It was already spread to North and South America.
According to the publishing, the researchers worked with domestic communities, various international institutions and archaeologists and were able to work more than 800 DNA Samples It shows leprosy symptoms from old human remains and recent medical cases.
Nicolás Rascovan, Chief Author of the Study InstituteHe said that the research proved that human history can be changed.
“We are just starting to reveal the diversity and global movements of this recently defined pathogen,” he said. “This work allows us to assume that there may be unknown animal reservoirs.”
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. Disease Control and Prevention Centers (CDC) says leprosy may affect patients’ nerves, skin and eyes and treated with antibiotics. According to CDC, up to 225 people in the US and 250,000 people around the world contract Hansen.
