The Columbian Exchange was the widespread transfer of goods and ideas, plants, animals, food, humans, cultures, etc., between the east and west after Europe discovered the Americas, opening up trade routes. The main negative effects were the propagation of slavery and the spread of communicable diseases.
European settlers brought tons of communicable diseases to the Americans. Indigenous peoples had not built up immunity, and many deaths resulted. Smallpox and measles were brought to the Americas with animals and peoples. Smallpox is believed to be the number one killer of indigenous peoples at the time, surpassing all wars. Yellow fever was also brought from Africa to the Americas via the slave trade. It is believed that Europeans, perhaps Christopher Columbus himself, also brought syphilis.
The Columbian exchange also opened up the passage of humans from West Africa to the Americas as slaves, increasing slavery as an overall practice.
Some invasive species of plants and pathogens were also accidentally introduced to Europe.
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