Did chronic tuberculosis spread in ancient South America before European colonisation?

It is generally believed that serious and fatal diseases of Europe like whooping cough, smallpox and the dreaded tuberculosis reached different parts of the world, including South America, due to colonisation. Yet, a report in sciencealert.com mentions that a recent study suggests that tuberculosis strain may have already reached South America coasts and mountains, much before this.

Scientists in 2014 discovered in skeletons from 1,000 years ago in South America the DNA of a bacterium which was connected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis which leads to tuberculosis in human beings. It may be noted that this was much before the Spanish, French and Portuguese set foot in the continent as colonisers.

Even though it has been known to science that TB moves from one species of mammal to another yet the detection of this ancient strain in South America points to the need for rethinking as to how the bacteria spread originally.

The 2014 or the pre-contact strains had the closest resemblance to M. pinnipedii – prevalent in mammals of marine ecosystem which have flippers (pinnipeds), like sea lions and seals.

Also read: Why Amazon tribes suffer less from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

The common forebear of all Mycobacterium strains or the M. tuberculosis complex came into being 6,000 years ago indicating that it rode on the mammals of the sea to be moved across the oceans.

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