VARIOLA

One of the most well known diseases of human history small pox has been around for a very very long time. Smallpox is believed to have appeared at the time of the first agricultural settlements in northeastern Africa, around 10 000 BC. The first record was in the Roman Empire in 189 A.D as many as 2,000 people per day were dying of it.The earliest evidence of skin lesions resembling those of smallpox is found on the faces of mummies from the time of the 18th and 20th Egyptian Dynasties (1570 to 1085 BC) and in the well-preserved mummy of Ramases V, who died as a young man in 1157 BC

The first person to describe the disease and have a procedure for diagnosing it was Rhazes (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi), a physician in Baghdad.

Epidemics have been reported all over the world. In the late nth century in Europe, 400 000 people died of smallpox each year and one third of the survivors went blind. Native Americans were ravished by the disease brought on by white man, having no immunity against this unknown epidemic only one in ten would survive. 1700 to 1800 nearly 60 million Europeans died of smallpox. Eventually immunities were built up against this disease whilst American soldiers in the Revolution were suffering greatly from it the British were practically unaffected because of their built up immunity. Survivors sometimes suffered terrible disfigurement and blindness.

The year 1798 brought a vaccine invented by Edward Enter and most parts of the world were subsequently vaccinated from then onward. Third world countries, however, still suffered until 1977 when the last known case of small pox was reported.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of smallpox; or the speckled monster, as it was known in 18th-century England appeared suddenly and included:

high fever, chills or rigors, cephalalgia,
characteristic dorsal-lumbar pain,
myalgias, and prostration.
Nausea and vomiting were also common.

After 2 to 4 days, the fever relented and a rash appeared on the face and inside the eyes; the rash would subsequently cover the whole body.

These skin lesions evolve into vesicles and pustules and finally dry and fall off after 3 or 4 weeks.

Commonly known in medieval times as the "Black Death" or "Black Plague" bubonic plague is certainly a deadly and gruesome disease. Caused by Yersinia Pestis bacteria there are actually two strands: bubonic and pneumonic, bubonic being the more common of the two. Pneumonic plague is basically the same symptoms with a load of pneumonia thrown on top.

There have been quite a few famous outbreaks of this disease 3 in particular which were in the 6th, 14th and 17th centuries including the 1665 plague which caused London to be burnt down to the ground in an attempt to stop the disease. It worked but I don't think they'd be doing that again now.The death toll was estimated at around 137 million victims. This sounds pretty heavy but the Bubonic plague was not the biggest epidemic (pandemic - world wide epidemic), the Influenza of 1918-1919 was.

The disease is carried by fleas that mostly travel on rats - the fleas carry a bacteria which is the cause of bubonic, there are treatments available nowadays such as antibiotics (since it is a bacteria) and vaccines, but if you think you might be about to suffer a bout of Bubonic I'd skip the vaccine, it seems it's not really affective and it has a rather nasty side effect sometimes, death.

SYMPTOMS

Swollen Lymph nodes
High fever
Delerium

In more severe cases when the lungs became infected coughing, sneezing or simply talking would spread this disease from person to person.

From the time of infection to death was less than one week.

The biggest worry is that another epidemic of bubonic plague is expected at any moment.

Typhoid fever is mainly a travelers disease sometimes called Enteric Fever. Caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhi . It is usually contracted from contaminated food and beverages. Beware those traveling to 3rd world countries, typhoid is running rampant there especially in open drains and sewers. If you are traveling to areas such as this a vaccination for Typhoid Fever is highly recommended.

SYMPTOMS

Diarrhea
Sustained high fever
Stomach pains
Rash of flat, rose-colored spots.
Profound fatigue
Weakness & delirium
It is important to get treatment for this disease, if not treated properly they symptoms could disappear and you could become a carrier of this disease.

Cholera is basically bad water - an infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibria cholera. It is not one of the world's biggest killers, with good treatment, the fatality rate can be less than 1%. But it is among the fastest. Death can follow within hours once the characteristics of cholera set in.

1873 - 1923 there were 6 pandemics started in India (show's how clean their water is) it arrived in England in 1831, Characterized by watery diarrhea, the toxin released by the bacteria causes increased secretion of water and chloride ions in the intestine, which can produce massive diarrhea. Death can result from the severe dehydration brought on by the diarrhea.

Cholera is a threat whenever clean water is scarce. Epidemics are associated with a collapse of sanitation, which is why refugee camps are often rife with the disease. In countries such as India, Bangladesh and, more recently, in parts of Latin America, cholera is endemic: the disease is always present, but erupts from time to time into a larger outbreak. Preventing cholera is tricky. The number of animals that carry the disease means that it can never be eradicated; current vaccines are not particularly effective (although new ones are being tested). The only guaranteed fix is a chlorinated water supply and treated sewage, which some poor countries will lack for decades. Boiling water before drinking it, and cooking food thoroughly and eating it while it is still hot can reduce the risk.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms can vary from mild to severe:

Sudden onset of watery diarrhea
Diarrhea has a "rice water" appearance
Diarrhea has a "fishy" odor
Dehydration can occur rapidly
Rapid pulse (heart rate)
Dry skin and dry mucus membranes or dry mouth
Excessive thirst
"Glassy" eyes or sunken eyes
No tears
Lethargy
Unusual sleepiness or tiredness
Low urine output
Sunken "soft spots" (fontanelles) in infants
Abdominal cramps
Nausea
Vomiting