Diseases, the word itself hits a panic button, and why shouldn’t it be, as it may lead to any kind of pandemic. Any disease which has made its existence globally has a certain significant existence. Any disease can go out of hand if not treated or identified at its beginning. In order to kill a mass level of population in any country, any disease does turn deadliest rising to many fatality figures. Figures do count and grab the headline as it turns pandemic. The recent global pandemic, COVID-19 has taught us the importance of seriousness and the consequences of not stitching the same on time. COVID-19 was just a newborn from the influenza family, but if we do not take our healthcare seriously there are chances of many deadliest diseases to come and make a catastrophe for a population, country and even for the human civilization globally.
When people think of the deadliest diseases in the world, their minds probably jump to the fast-acting, incurable ones that grab headlines from time to time. But in fact, many of these types of diseases don’t rank in the top 10 causes of worldwide deaths. An estimated 56.4 million people passed away worldwide in 2015, and 68 per cent of them were due to diseases that progressed slowly.
Perhaps even more surprising is that several of the deadliest diseases are partially preventable. Non-preventable factors include where a person lives, access to preventive care, and quality of healthcare. These all factor into risk. But there are still steps everyone can take to lower the risk of the deadliest diseases.
Top 10 Deadliest Diseases
1.) Bubonic Plague – The bubonic plague is a serious infectious disease that is caused by the bacillus Yersinia pestis. Also known as “The Black Death,” and “The Pestilence,” it has been around for centuries, with the very first instance being the Plague of Justinian that took place between 541–549 AD. The Y. pestis bacteria spreads through infected fleas or small mammals, such as rodents, and is passed on to humans who are bitten or scratched. It is found all over the world, but since the bacteria was discovered in 1894, scientists soon developed ways of treating and preventing its spread, and it is now curable in most cases with things like antibiotics.
2.) Influenza – Influenza or flu is a highly contagious disease that attacks the respiratory system and is caused by a number of types of influenza viruses. While it’s possible that there have been influenza outbreaks since 6,000 BC, the first written record of an influenza epidemic, and the respiratory illness we know today, was in 1510. While there are types of influenza that come from humans, influenza pandemics usually take place when a new strain of the virus is transmitted to humans from another animal species, especially animals that we eat such as pigs, chickens, or ducks. Symptoms of the flu range from mild to severe and usually include fever, a runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and tiredness.
3.) Cholera – Cholera being one of the deadliest diseases is an infection of the small intestine that’s caused by strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholera, though some types are more severe than others. Usually, its symptoms include vomiting, muscle cramps, severe watery diarrhoea leading to dehydration, and ultimately, death. Cholera has been around for centuries likely originating in the Indian subcontinent and has caused seven major pandemics starting in 1817 in the Bengal region of India. People can contract the bacteria through unsafe water that has been contaminated with human waste and bacteria. Unfortunately, cholera still leads to the deaths of 50,000 to 120,000 people every year.
4.) Smallpox – Smallpox is also one of the deadliest diseases that humans have faced in past. At present, we don’t hear much about smallpox, as it has been completely eradicated due to vaccination. But once, it was one of the deadliest diseases to humans. It was caused by the Variola virus, and symptoms included fever, vomiting, skin rashes, and blisters. While we don’t know where it originated from, and it has been around for centuries, the first widespread outbreaks took place in 18th century Europe. In 1798 Edward Jenner developed the first version of what we now call a vaccine for smallpox.
5.) Typhus – Typhus is also one of the deadliest diseases that humans have faced in past. Also known as typhus fever, this disease is actually a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus, all of which are caused by bacteria spread by lice, fleas, and mites. Its symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. While it’s likely that typhus has been around for ages, the first described cases were in 1489 AD. However, there have been many outbreaks throughout history, usually starting in places with poor sanitary conditions and overcrowding. Luckily, it is now rare and can be treated with antibiotics like doxycycline.
6.) HIV or AIDS – HIV or AIDS is also one of the deadliest diseases that humans have faced. HIV, which is the virus that causes AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, might have come from African chimpanzees and was transferred to humans in the early 20th century. It was first detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1976, and for decades the disease had no cure. But now, new treatments have made HIV a far more manageable chronic health condition. In fact, annual deaths from HIV/AIDS dropped from 2.2 million to 1.6 million globally, and two people have even been cured of HIV as of early 2020.
7.) Dengue fever – Dengue fever is also one of the deadliest diseases that humans have faced. Dengue fever is a tropical disease that is caused by the dengue virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, especially the Aedes aegypti species. It causes symptoms like high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a skin rash, but in some cases, it leads to severe fever, haemorrhagic bleeding, and death. However, there is now a vaccine for dengue, as well as antiviral drugs being developed to treat it.
8.) Malaria – Malaria is also one of the deadliest diseases that humans have faced. Like dengue, malaria is also a mosquito-borne infectious disease spread by the female Anopheles mosquito. It’s caused by the Malaria parasite, and its symptoms include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches in severe cases, they can also include yellow skin, seizures, coma, or death. In some cases, if the disease isn’t properly treated, the person can have reoccurring symptoms months or even years later. Nowadays, there are several medications to prevent malaria, as well as antimalarial medications to treat it. In 2020, a vaccine has been developed, which has the potential to reduce the risk of malaria by about 40%.
9.) COVID-19 – The recent ongoing pandemic with multiple variants is still haunting us globally and exists in the category of deadliest diseases. COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), and was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, in Dec 2019, and is thought to have originated in animals, likely bats. Since then, it has spread around the world. Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that often cause respiratory infections, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including fever, tiredness, a dry cough, and a loss of sensation of smell. The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. While there is no specific treatment for COVID-19, there are many ways to manage it, like oxygen support, antivirals, and most importantly, vaccines.
10.) Tuberculosis – Tuberculosis is also one of the deadliest diseases that humans have faced. Tuberculosis is a lung condition caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a treatable airborne bacterium, although some strains are resistant to conventional treatments. TB or Tuberculosis is one of the top causes of death in people who have HIV. About 35 per cent of HIV-related deaths are due to TB.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
