Sexually transmitted diseases existed in ancient times

Giffin K, Lankapalli AK, Sabin S, Spyrou MA, Posth C, Kozakaitė J, Friedrich R, Miliauskienė Ž, Jankauskas R, Herbig A, Bos KI. A treponemal genome from an historic plague victim supports a recent emergence of yaws and its presence in 15^th century Europe.. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66012-x

Archaeological evidence from historic plague victims confirms the presence of treponemal disease strains in 15th-century Europe.

Sikora M, Canteri E, Fernandez-Guerra A, Oskolkov N, Ågren R, Hansson L, Irving-Pease EK, Mühlemann B, Holtsmark Nielsen S, Scorrano G, Allentoft ME, Valeur Seersholm F, Schroeder H, Gaunitz C, Stenderup J, Vinner L, Jones TC, Nystedt B, Sjögren KG, Parkhill J, Fugger L, Racimo F, Kristiansen K, Iversen AKN, Willerslev E. The spatiotemporal distribution of human pathogens in ancient Eurasia.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09192-8

Broad archaeogenetic mapping demonstrates the widespread presence of various ancient bacterial and pathogen DNA across thousands of years of human history.

Barquera R, Sitter TL, Kirkpatrick CL, Ramirez DA, Kocher A, Spyrou MA, Couoh LR, Talavera-González JA, Castro M, von Hunnius T, Guevara EK, Hamilton WD, Roberts P, Scott E, Fabra M, Da Peña GV, Pacheco A, Rodriguez M, Aspillaga E, Tiliakou A, Nelson EA, Giffin KL, Bianco RA, Rohrlach AB, de Los Ángeles García Martínez M, Ballesteros Solís FA, Sajantila A, Saunders SR, Nores R, Herbig A, Krause J, Bos KI. Ancient genomes reveal a deep history of Treponema pallidum in the Americas.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08515-5

Genomic analysis of pre- and peri-contact ancient specimens explores the deep evolutionary history and presence of treponemal infections in ancient populations.