You got it.
That the first outbreak of “great pox” showed up in 1493 in Italy shortly after Spanish soldiers arrived from the port where Columbus had just returned seems remarkably coincidental. This disease was not recognized as one that had been around forever, but as something new and terrible. During its first decades, itshowed many of the characteristics of a “virgin field” epidemic, but then calmed down a bunch and became approximately the disease we have known and loved ever since.
This is most likely a politically correct attempt to clear “Native Americans” of the guilt of passing on syphillis. Seems a little silly on their part, since the disease transmission was 95% in the other direction.
BTW, the vast majority of what are invariably referred to as “European diseases” are actually African or Asian in origin.
I thought Columbus crew was accused of taking syphilis to the indians.