Top 5 Most Devastating Pandemic Diseases

Hi everyone in this article I’m going to mention some Top 5 most devastating Pandemic diseases in the world that humanity had faced. There are many diseases that cause the most severe damages to mankind from The Black Death to Cholera. Currently, we are facing CORONA formally known as COVID-19 that has become Pandemic from epidemic causing millions of affected people and the estimated death toll reaches thousands. But these are the worst Pandemic ever happened. I haven’t included CORONA on this list.

This list is based on the following factors:-

• People affected worldwide
• Death toll
• Ease of spreading

These diseases caused a global recession letting millions of people homeless, suffering from starvation and increased crime.

First, let’s understand some keyword that you definitely have heard about it.

Epidemic – a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time within a country.

Pandemic – the disease that becomes uncontrollable and widespread across all over the world, causing severe death toll.

Pathogen – A bacterium, virus, or other microorganisms that can cause disease

Now let’s come to the main topic below are the Top 5 Most Devastating Pandemic Diseases that spread all over the country and continent affecting millions and result in killing thousand.

Top 5 Most Devastating Pandemic Diseases

5). Cholera

• Pathogen: Vibrio Cholera
• Death: 28,000 – 1,30,000
• Vaccine: Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol.
• Origin Country: India

Cholera is contagious diseases caused by drinking contaminated water or food containing the pathogen of Cholera called Vibrio Cholera. The first Cholera Pandemic was originated in the Indian region near Calcutta starting in 1817 to 1824.

It affected nearly 3-5 million people a year worldwide and death toll to approximately 28,000. The developed countries were least or rarely affected by it. The primary target of it was the children and senior citizens whose digestion system and immune system were not enough strong to withstand this.

The person who got infected by Cholera may have to face some problems that will occur are mentioned below-

Symptoms

• Pain in the abdomen
• Nausea, severe diarrhea, vomiting
• Dehydration or water-electrolyte imbalance.

4). AIDS/HIV

• Pathogen: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Death: 32 million until 2018
• Vaccine: Unknown
• Origin Country: Kinshasa (Democratic Republic Congo)

 

AIDS is a viral disease caused by the HIV virus that attacks the immune system of the host person mainly on white blood cell making that person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. The most common disease affecting HIV/AIDS infected patients is common flu. HIV becomes a part of global attention in the 1980s till that time it had affected nearly 75 million people. HIV is an evolved version of a simian immunodeficiency virus formally known as Chimpanzee Version. The major cause behind the transmission of HIV from one person to another by fluid contact or unprotected sex (without using a condom ) or sharing injection drug equipment.

The person who got infected by HIV/AIDS may have to face some problems that will occur within a few weeks are mentioned below-

Symptoms

• Flu-like symptoms fever, sore throat, fatigue and headache
• White tongue, red blotches
• Severe unintentional weight loss

3) Spanish Flu

• Pathogen: H1N1 Influenza
• Death: 17-50 million
• Vaccine: Unknown
• Origin Country: Unknown (Spanish according to some sources)

In 1918 a viral disease came into existence caused 500 million of infected people and the estimated death toll possible as high as 100 million since it came in the year 1918 and most parts of this viral patient are in Spain and Europe so it starts getting called by Spanish Flu or 1918 Flu Pandemic.

And the most interesting part is that the primary target of 1918 Flu Pandemic was young people belonging from 20-40 years and 65 years older. The main cause behind the transmission of Spanish Flu was when someone comes in contact with an infected person by means of coughs, sneezes or talks respiratory droplets spreads into the air and inhaled by anyone nearby.

The person who got infected by Spanish Flu may have to face some problems that will occur are mentioned below-

Symptoms

• Typical flu symptoms like chills, fever, and fatigue
• The skin turns blue
• Lungs filling with fluid which causes them to suffocate.

2) Plague of Justinian

Pathogen: Yersinia Pestis ( bubonic)
• Death: 50 million
• Vaccine: Plague Vaccine
• Origin Country: China

The plague was originated in mainland China traveled to Egypt through the Great Lake Region of Africa. The Plague of Justinian (541-542AD) become Pandemic as it affected the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire mostly its capital Constantinople causing more than 100 million infected people and resulting in the death toll up to 50 million. Europe’s population becomes half due to this outbreak at that time.

The major or most common mode of transmission of Plague was black rats that were on a ship that contains grains that were heaven for them.

The person who got infected by bubonic plague may have to face some problems that will occur are mentioned below-

Symptoms

• Common flu symptoms like fever, headache, and chills
• Abdominal pain
• Swollen or tender lymph nodes
• Gangrene

1) The Black Death

• Pathogen: Yersinia Pestis (Bacterial Infection)
• Death: 75 – 200 million
• Vaccine: streptomycin, gentamicin and Origin Doxycycline
• Country: China

This is the most devastating pandemic disease in our list caused by Yersinia Pestis (Bacterial Infection) which infected hundreds of millions of people in Eurasia (Europe and Asia). It was originated in mainland China and traveled to other continents such as Europe, America, and Africa through the intercontinental transportation road of goods formally known as Silk Road.

The greatest Catastrophe The Black Death also known as The Great Bubonic Plague was carried by fleas riding on black rats and transmitted to humans by fleas bits, the bit drains Yersinia Restis to the lymph node, as a result, swells to form a painful bubo mostly on the thigh, armpit or on the neck, Hence the name given as Bubonic Plague.

The person who got infected by The Black Death may have to face some problems that will occur are mentioned below-

Symptoms-

• It affects mainly on lymph nodes
• Common flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, headache.
• Weakness, Tender lymph glands.

Conclusion

Finally, I hope you got information about the Top 5 Most Devastating Pandemic Diseases. Thank you for reading this article till the end.