Viewpoint: Yes, syphilis originated in the New World and was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus's crew.

Viewpoint: No, syphilis was a disease that had long been in the Old World; it was simply a coincidence that it flared up shortly after Columbus's return from the New World.

Since the emergence of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome) in the 1970s, interest in the origin of syphilis has grown because of parallels between the history of syphilis and that of AIDS. Both diseases seemed to arise suddenly and spread rapidly, causing severe illness and death. Scholars have suggested that understanding the history of...