Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Ancient DNA Reveals Leprosy's Long-Standing Presence in Americas

6/6/2025

48 9

Summary

Story summary

A groundbreaking study by researchers at Institut Pasteur reveals that Mycobacterium lepromatosis, the bacterium causing leprosy, thrived in the Americas a millennium before European explorers set foot on the continent. This revelation reshapes our understanding of the disease's history, showing it was already endemic among Indigenous communities, based on an analysis of over 800 ancient DNA samples.

1 of 1

Story summary

A groundbreaking study by researchers at Institut Pasteur reveals that Mycobacterium lepromatosis, the bacterium causing leprosy, thrived in the Americas a millennium before European explorers set foot on the continent. This revelation reshapes our understanding of the disease's history, showing it was already endemic among Indigenous communities, based on an analysis of over 800 ancient DNA samples.