Study Reveals Prehistoric Treponematosis in Vietnam, Challenges Syphilis Origins
A recent study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology has uncovered evidence of congenital treponematosis in prehistoric children's remains from Vietnam, challenging the traditional understanding of syphilis origins. The research analyzed skeletal remains from 16 archaeological sites across Vietnam, dating back 10,000 to 1,000 years. Among the 309 individuals studied, three children showed signs of congenital treponematosis, a group of diseases that includes syphilis, yaws, bejel, and pinta. The findings suggest that congenital transmission of treponematosis may have occurred in non-venereal forms, such as yaws, rather than syphilis, which was previously believed to have originated in the Americas. 
