Flu Season Approaches
Did you know that the Bubonic Plague aka the Black Death never truly went away? There was a four-year outbreak in turn-of-the-century California and, since then, an average of 7 plague cases are reported in America each year. Many historical diseases such as the plague are still threats today, while others are easily treatable.
1. Smallpox
Smallpox is the only disease that humans have completely eradicated. Called the Spotted Monster, smallpox was one of humanity's biggest killers for thousands of years. A smallpox vaccine was developed in 1796, and the disease was completely eradicated by 1980.
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2. Polio
One of the most terrifying diseases for children in the '40s and '50s, polio is on the brink of eradication today. Like several disease on this list, polio is transmitted by contaminated food and water, with 1% of sufferers being permanently disabled. A polio vaccine was invented in 1955, and 2/3 of the disease's strains have been eradicated.
Pearson Scott Foresman on Wikimedia
3. Scurvy
The scourge of the seven seas, scurvy is a deficiency disease caused by a lack of vitamin c. If left untreated, scurvy can lead to fatigue, loose teeth, and old wounds reopening. Luckily, scurvy is easily treated with vitamin C supplements.
4. Tetanus
Also known as lockjaw, most people associate tetanus with rusty nails, however, it was a major killer on the battlefield. One of every 500 deaths in the Civil War was due to tetanus, a figure that is almost unfathomable today. A tetanus vaccine was developed in 1924, and boosters are recommended every 10 years.
5. Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can easily be mistaken for a sore throat in the early states. Diphtheria causes a coating to appear in the throat which obstructs breathing and is especially deadly for children. Luckily, a vaccine was developed in 1923, and one of the leading causes of childhood death was largely eradicated.
National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
6. Leprosy
Believed to be divine retribution, leprosy—or, Hansen's Disease—is one of the most stigmatized illnesses in history. Despite not being contagious, those afflicted were cast out of their homes and made to ring bells to alert others of their approach. Today, a vaccine is undergoing clinical trials, and leprosy is curable with multi-drug treatments.
7. Typhoid
Famously, typhoid is passed through food or water that has been infected by a carrier's fecal matter, as seen in the case of "Typhoid" Mary Mallon. Typhoid is little more than a tummy ache with today's antibiotics, and you can prevent the spread by practicing good hygiene. The first typhoid vaccine was introduced in 1896.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash
8. Hepatitis B
While hepatitis B is one of the most common types of this liver disease, it's also one of the most easily treatable. Hep B can be contracted through bodily fluids via needles, birth, or sexual contact. The current hep B vaccine was introduced in 1986; recovery takes about 6 months.
9. Typhus
Not to be confused with typhoid, typhus is a lice-based disease most common in overcrowded areas such as jails and camps. The most common type of typhus in North America is Murine typhus, which is relatively mild and easily treated with antibiotics. While there is no commercially available typhus vaccine, you can take preventative measures against ticks and fleas.
10. Chickenpox
Chickenpox used to be so common that parents would host chickenpox parties to help kids "get over it". Chickenpox can lead to shingles later in life, as the virus lays dormant in your body. Luckily, a chickenpox vaccine was developed in 1995, preventing millions of cases.
Now that we've discussed some diseases that are no longer threats, let's look at a few that are.
1. Malaria
Malaria is a parasitic liver infection whose symptoms range from nausea and a cough to seizures and coma. Caused by mosquito bite, malaria continues to devastate Africa, Asia and South America, with millions of cases each year. While there is no malaria vaccine available, anti-malarial drugs are available for travel, and the WHO hopes to eradicate this devastating disease by 2050.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash
2. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis may be most commonly associated with Victorian novels and blood-stained handkerchiefs, but it is far from a thing of the past. To this day, TB remains the leading cause of death around the world, and is particularly prevalent in low-income communities where multi-drug treatment is unavailable. While there is a TB vaccine, it isn't very effective or widely used.
3. Influenza
The Spanish Flu claimed more Americans than both World Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. What's more, is that the root cause of it—the influenza virus—returns every year. While the Spanish Flu vanished before it could be studied, millions of people around the world contract the flu every year despite the flu shot being readily available.
4. Measles
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on the planet—and one of the most dangerous. While this common childhood illness doesn't usually cause long-term complications, it can cause "immune amnesia", essentially resetting your immune system. Measles was declared eliminated from America in 2000, but has come back in a big way.
CDC Global, Jim Goodson, M.P.H. on Wikimedia
5. Mumps
Often treated hand-in-hand with measles, mumps cause swelling in your salivary glands. Mumps is rarely deadly, but can lead (in rare cases) to brain inflammation, deafness, and infertility. The MMR vaccine is given to infants in two doses.
Heinrich Weingaertner on Wikimedia
6. Dysentery
Anyone who played Oregon Trail will be familiar with dysentery—one of those nasty diseases causes by contaminated water. What people don't know is that dysentery is still claiming lives today, particularly children under 5. Dysentery is most prevalent in areas with poor sanitation including overcrowded, lower-income, and neglected areas; there is no vaccine.
7. Cholera
In the past 200 years, there have been seven cholera pandemics—and one has been ongoing since 1961. Cholera continues to claim millions of lives, some of which within hours of contracting the disease due to extreme dehydration. Unlike dysentery, there are injectable and oral vaccines.
Alexander Ver Huell on Wikimedia
8. Cancer
With nearly 200 different diseases under the cancer umbrella, cancer is one of the most devastating diseases in history. Not all cancers are created equal; thyroid and skin cancers have an almost 100% survival rate, while pancreatic and brain cancers are much lower. Scientists around the world are hard at work on a cure.
9. HIV/AIDS
The epidemic that wiped out a generation, HIV was one of the most ruthless and stigamtized diseases of the 20th century. There were over a million new cases worldwide in 2024, largely in Sub-Saharan Africa. Antiretroviral treatment as well as preventative measures can be used to stop the spread of HIV. is As of 2024, seven people have been completely cured of HIV.
10. COVID-19
The newest disease on this list and one of the most deadly. As of writing, more than 7 million diseases have been attributed to COVID, with millions more resulting from complications. While there is a possibility that COVID, like SARS, might never go away, getting an annual vaccine along with your flu shot can keep you safe.
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