Emma Sutherland - Europeans Brought New, Deadly Ulcer Bacteria to Americas

SUMMARY:
           Europeans that had migrated to America introduced many germs that affected those that populated that area. Many were diagnosed with smallpox or measles, killing about 90% of the Indian population of that time. However, a new study had shown that there is another bacteria that the Europeans carried called Helicobacter pylori. According to an international team of researchers, this bacteria can cause gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. Effects of this disease can be seen today through South America.  South America, today, has some of the world's highest rates of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. More than half of the world's population is infected with this bacteria, however, it can be treated with a regimen of antibiotics if they are diagnosed with a gastric ulcer. A reason why populations living in America today have such high rates of ulcers and stomach cancer is because it has to do "with a 'mismatch' between the ethnicity of the patient and the origin of the H. Pylori strain they carry". Researchers said that new findings regarding this may be useful for future research on the connection between those who have stomach cancer and gastric ulcers to this bacteria.

ANALYSIS:
           Before reading this article, I had been aware of the diseases that Europeans brought to America in the 15th and 16th centuries. I find it very interesting that they are just now becoming aware of another disease that has affected our population all this time! I hope that they are able to find more research to be able to help those that have gastric ulcers and stomach cancers, and hopefully find some sort of pattern within them that is related to this bacteria. This article is from Yahoo, which is a reliable news source. They always keep citizens fully updated on current topics, and they cover all topics of the news. This also synthesizes to the time of the Columbian Exchange when many diseases as well as goods were transported from Europe to America. Many people died around this time because of the introduction of these diseases, and the high rate at which they infected people and spread to others.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/europeans-brought-deadly-ulcer-bacteria-150200855.html