Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Treponema pallidum pallidum. Syphilis can also be passed from mother to child during pregnancy. Syphilis can cause enormous damage to the body if left untreated. Known as "the great imitator" because many of the symptoms of syphilis are similar to those of other diseases, making it difficult to accurately identify the origin of syphilis (what is syphilis). Scientists and other professionals have proposed multiple hypotheses about the suggested origin of syphilis. Three hypotheses are currently being discussed. The first hypothesis states that syphilis always existed in the Old World and that it probably evolved at the beginning of the Paleolithic in Africa or the Near East. According to this hypothesis, syphilis was transported to the New World by Columbus. This hypothesis is known as the “pre-Columbian” hypothesis. The second hypothesis states that syphilis only existed in the New World. Syphilis was brought back to the Old World by Columbus and his crew. Columbus and his crew returned to Europe and soon after, a syphilis epidemic broke out. This hypothesis is known as the “Columbus” hypothesis. The third hypothesis states that syphilis was present in both the Old World and the New World. This hypothesis is known as the “unitary” hypothesis. The evidence for these hypotheses has been collected and will be used to decide which hypothesis is most likely to be true or if more than one hypothesis is needed to explain the origin of syphilis. It is very likely that syphilis, when not viral, traveled from the Old World to the New World with the natives of the Americas during the mass migration approximately 16-14,000 years ago and later , the syphilis bacteria has gone viral. Additionally, syphilis could have been present middle of paper...... cavitations were made of the natives who lived in Hispaniola when Columbus arrived (936). It was found that 6 to 14% of skeletons discovered showed a periosteal reaction, characteristic of treponemal disease (936). Paleopathologists have highlighted marks on the skeletons which indicate the presence of treponemal diseases (2010). These bones are over 7000 years old (2010). Markings include periosteal reaction, tibial remodeling (sabre-shaped tibia formation), and destructive bone “gum” (2010). Gum is a soft, noncancerous bone growth caused by the progression of syphilis (2010). (2010) do not believe that scientists have found conclusive evidence of the presence of trepenomal disease in Europe. Given this, syphilis most likely evolved in the New World because bone evidence shows that trepenomal disease was very common in the New World..