Were there any exchange of disease in colonial times from indigenous people to the Europeans colonizing them?

by whimsically_engaged

I've read a lot about Europeans bringing smallpox and influenza to the Native Americans and Aborigines among others, but were there any diseases that were picked up and taken back to Europe?

Searocksandtrees

hi! yes there were, chief suspect among them syphilis, although nothing as devastating to the Europeans; you'll find a few discussions on this topic in this misleadingly-titled FAQ section (skip the first handful of posts about Vikings)