Secret leprosy infected the Americas before European arrival DW 06/04/2025
A new study has found a different species of leprosy-causing bacteria existed in the Americas before European settlement, indicating indigenous peoples were affected prior to colonization.
Leprosy spread throughout America centuries before the arrival of Europeans
The comprehensive study led by Nicolas Rascovan proved that leprosy existed among Indigenous populations in the Americas long before European arrival, challenging historical narratives.