Ancient Vietnamese child’s remains could challenge theories about the origins of syphilis

Vietnamese archaeologists have made a discovery that could rewrite scientists’ understanding of the origins of syphilis.

Researchers have discovered the remains of three Stone Age humans who suffered from a debilitating bacterial disease that left marks on their bones and teeth. The disease is in the same family as syphilis, and the discovery of the disease in prehistoric Vietnam may cast doubt on the idea that a syphilis-like disease originated in the Americas.

In a study published March 13 in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, researchers recorded three cases of congenital treponematosis at two Neolithic sites in Vietnam, dating back about 4,100 to 3,300 years ago. Treponema diseases are a group of infections caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. These diseases caused by different subspecies of bacteria include syphilis, bejel, and francis.

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For decades, researchers believed that only syphilis among these diseases could be spread through congenital infection, meaning transmission from parent to child during pregnancy, lead study author Melandry Vrock, lecturer in anatomy and physiology at Charles Sturt University, told Live Science in an email. This assumption has been used to support claims that syphilis originated in the Americas, Vlok said, because previous research found that 5,500-year-old child remains had bacteria associated with syphilis, along with signs of congenital infection.

But importantly, “none of this DNA is actually syphilis,” she noted. This distinction is important because evidence of congenital infection with this bacterium has long been seen as evidence of syphilis itself.

“Our new study flips the scenario on its head,” Nicola Czaplinski, a health science doctoral candidate at the University of Notre Dame in Australia, said in an email to Live Science. According to their findings, “congenital infection is not unique to syphilis.”

Three children of Neolithic Vietnam

Scientists have long debated the origins of treponemal disease, but only one other study has investigated this question in Vietnam.

The study included cases dating back to the early agricultural transition period, about 4,000 to 3,500 years ago. The study focused on Man Bac, an approximately 4,100 to 3,300-year-old archaeological site in northern Vietnam, and found that more than 10% of the burials examined had evidence consistent with treponematosis in their bones and teeth. Most of those affected were young children and young people.

The new study investigated 16 archaeological sites across Vietnam, including Mang Bak, and examined a total of 304 individuals dating from 10,000 to 1,000 years ago. It found evidence of congenital treponematosis in three children. Two individuals, aged 18 months and 5 years, were found in Man Bac, while the third was found in An Son, southern Vietnam, between 3,900 and 3,300 years old and was about 2 and a half years old.

The children’s teeth showed the most obvious signs of congenital treponematosis, with some appearing stunted, malformed or “worm-eaten.”

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The researchers noted that the disease was unlikely to be transmitted sexually, as most of the treponematosis patients in both studies were children and adolescents. However, the existence of congenital cases complicates the assumption that syphilis is limited to mother-to-child transmission, which is the basis of the Columbus hypothesis, which is based on the idea that syphilis originated in the Americas.

“This discovery casts doubt on one of the key pillars of the theory that “Columbus brought syphilis.” [to Europe from the New World]”This theory shows that we still have a long way to go in solving the mystery of where syphilis actually originates,” Czaplinsky said.

However, despite this breakthrough, many challenges remain in pinpointing the origin of syphilis. Vlok explained that DNA is not preserved well in tropical regions like Southeast Asia.

“Recovering it often requires harvesting large amounts of bone, which raises serious ethical concerns,” she says. “Human bones are not just scientific samples; they are the ancestors of living communities and must be treated with care and respect.” Similarly, there is a lack of research into the origins of treponemal diseases in Africa, she added.

Charlotte Roberts, emeritus professor of bioarchaeology at Durham University in the UK, who was not involved in the study, said the study adds to scientists’ knowledge of this disease group.

“Treponemal diseases have been studied by paleopathologists for decades, often with controversial results,” Roberts told Live Science via email. “This is therefore a welcome study of an area of ​​the world for which little evidence has been found so far.”

Additionally, this study suggests that early migration of people from China may have contributed to the spread of the disease in Vietnam. Both sites featured in the study were established as a result of early migration of farmers to mainland Southeast Asia and subsequent interaction with local gatherers.

“Of particular interest is the suggestion that migration of people in this region may be directly related to this outbreak,” Roberts said.