Number 10: The flu. To most people flu is a pretty unpleasant illness contracted 2-3 times in a lifetime. However, influenza was responsible for one of the most destructive pandemics of all time – the Spanish Flu (1918-1919) which killed up to 100 million people. The particular type of flu strain (H1N1) was unusual in that most fatalities where among the young and healthy. It seems that the flu actually turned the healthy body’s immune system on itself creating a “cytokine storm” which attacked the lungs. 9. HIV/AIDS: Human immunodeficiency virus infection / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) works by effectively destroying the body’s defenses to any number of other diseases and infections. There is still no cure or vaccine and until very recently, no effective treatment. To date more than 30 million people have died of AIDS with nearly 40 million currently infected. 8. Tuberculosis: TB is highly contagious and easily spread through airborne droplets e.g. a sneeze. In fact around a third of the world’s population is actually infected with TB. Fortunately this is in the latent form and is more than likely they will never be aware. Only 1 in 10 cases progress to the active disease which has a 50% mortality rate if not treated. Tuberculosis kills around 1.5 million people worldwide every year, second only to malaria. 7. Anthrax: Anthrax is a bacterial infection which in most forms is lethal. There are three ways in which a person can become infected and this is very important to how the disease progresses. The most lethal way is by inhalation. If not treated this is invariably fatal. With prompt antibiotic treatment still only around half survive. 6. Cholera: Cholera is one of the most infectious diseases and is easily passed through contaminated food and water. Historically it has ripped through communities leaving half dead, even now it is estimated to kill 120,000 per year. In the past epidemics killed millions. 5. MRSA: or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to give it its full name, is particularly scary as it renders modern medicine ineffective. The so called “Superbug” has the ability to plunge us straight back to the Dark Ages where peasants were afflicted with all manner of boils and hideous skin diseases! But MRSA is more than just a skin infection it has been known to kill within 24hrs. 4. Rabies: Rabies is invariably fatal if not treated immediately after bite. If intervention only occurs after the symptoms start showing there is an 8% chance of survival. Worldwide rabies kills around 55,000 people, mostly in Africa and India, but it does still exist in the US and Europe. 3. Small Pox: Smallpox is possibly the most horrific looking of any disease. The classic symptom is the body being covered in pox, fluid filled pustules. This isn’t limited to the skin either they can occur in the mouth and throat. The disease has been around since 10,000 BC and was responsible for 300 million deaths since 1800 alone. 2. Bubonic Plague:If any disease can evoke pure terror then it is Bubonic Plague. Responsible for the Black Death which swept Europe in the middle ages killing an estimated 100 million people. There have been other plague epidemics including one in the 6th century which killed 50 million throughout the Roman Empire. 1. Ebola: Ebola is highly contagious with evidence that it can be spread via air. There is no treatment. There is no vaccine. Agonizing death has been known to occur in excess of 90% of cases in some outbreaks. For these reasons the Ebola virus trumps any current disease to become the deadliest infectious disease on the planet.
Okay, so, please remember to wash your hands...always!
21 Comments
Angela
5/10/2016 01:20:06 pm
We should always wash our hands to keep ourselves healthy
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Jack
5/10/2016 03:28:34 pm
Cool, wait no thats not cool at all thats, thats, not cool
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Olivia Barlow
5/10/2016 03:39:11 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO desises
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Olivia Sharp
5/10/2016 04:36:30 pm
EW EW EW
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Eleda
5/10/2016 04:58:44 pm
These dieseases are so gross! I really never want to have small pox!😶
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Braxton
5/10/2016 05:57:49 pm
Ebolalalala
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Lizzie
5/10/2016 06:10:34 pm
Those pictures are so gross.
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sammi
5/10/2016 06:26:38 pm
ok....i almost just about threw up when i saw the spider bites and the small pox. gross and ew nasty EVER k no seriously i got queasy but that was really fascinating at the same time
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Angela
5/10/2016 08:37:55 pm
I KNOW RIGHT THAT IS REALLY SICK
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GROSS GROSS GROSS EW AND NASTY
5/10/2016 06:27:59 pm
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Lexx
5/10/2016 06:49:52 pm
No... I couldn't finish reading because of two of those pictures and skipped the rest without looking or reading. Sorry.
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Emma
5/10/2016 07:36:35 pm
EEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! UGH! SO GROSS!!!
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Becca
5/10/2016 07:40:57 pm
I KNOW RIGHT
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Angela
5/10/2016 08:30:50 pm
These diseases are really gross and I Don't want small pox. It looks really scary !!
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Meirah
5/11/2016 07:15:05 am
I like the picture for Cholera. That actually looks cool!!!
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |