TB was one of the few infectious diseases present in both the Americas and Afroeurasia before the Columbian Exchange began in 1492; archaeological evidence indicates that TB was in the Americas at least two thousand years ago,[*1] and it has been present in China for at least five thousand years. But recent genetic evidence indicates that the story might go back much further—our species is perhaps three hundred thousand years old, but it seems that other species of hominids were being infected with consumption-like illnesses three million years ago. In fact, tuberculosis is listed in Guinness
...more
