Syphilis – Theory and Practice in Latvia

Syphilis, a chronic somatic sexually transmitted disease causing nonspecific inflammation in the primary and secondary stages and specific lesions in the tertiary stage, is an ancient disease. There are three contradictory theories explaining its origin: the American theory, the Eurasian theory and the African theory. Adherents of the American theory believe that South American Indians suffered from syphilis and that Columbus’ sailors were infected by them on the island of Haiti. After returning to Spain in 1493, one part of Columbus’ crew serving as mercenaries in the army of King Charles VIII of France took part in the siege of Naples. It was in Naples that the first known syphilis epidemic in Europe broke out. Soldiers and merchants were to blame for the spread of syphilis to the whole of Western and Eastern Europe while it was through Portuguese seafarers under Vasco de Gama that the disease reached India and from there the Far East.