Rothschild B M, Calderon F L, Coppa A, Rothschild C
Arthritis Center of Northeast Ohio, Youngstown, OH 44512, USA.
Clin Infect Dis. 2000 Oct;31(4):936-41. doi: 10.1086/318158. Epub 2000 Oct 20.
Recognition of syphilis in Europe in the late 15th century and its prior absence suggest New World origin. Skeletal populations were examined from sites with documented Columbian contact in the Dominican Republic. Examination of 536 skeletal remains revealed periosteal reaction characteristic of treponemal disease in 6%-14% of the afflicted population. Findings were identical to that previously noted in confirmed syphilis-affected populations and distinctive from those associated with yaws and bejel: it was a low population frequency phenomenon, affecting an average of 1.7-2.6 bone groups, often asymmetric and sparing hands and feet, but associated with significant tibial remodeling. While findings diagnostic of syphilis have been reported in the New World, actual demonstration of syphilis in areas where Columbus actually had contact was missing, until now. The evidence is consistent with this site as the point of initial contact of syphilis and of its subsequent spread from the New World to the Old.
15世纪晚期梅毒在欧洲被发现且此前欧洲并无梅毒，这表明梅毒起源于新大陆。对多米尼加共和国有文献记载的与哥伦布接触相关地点的骨骼人群进行了检查。对536具骨骼遗骸的检查发现，在6%-14%的患病群体中存在螺旋体病的骨膜反应特征。这些发现与先前在确诊梅毒感染人群中观察到的一致，且与雅司病和地方性梅毒相关的发现不同：这是一种低人群发病率现象，平均影响1.7-2.6个骨骼群组，通常不对称且手部和足部未受影响，但与胫骨显著重塑有关。虽然在新大陆已报告有梅毒的诊断结果，但直到现在，在哥伦布实际接触过的地区仍缺乏梅毒的实际证据。该证据与该地点作为梅毒最初接触点以及随后从新大陆传播到旧大陆的观点一致。
