The story of viruses and the story of humanity have been intertwined since the dawn of history. Below is the list of top 10 worst plagues in history. History is written not only by people, but also by microbes. Viruses, plagues, and history shows us the panorama of humanitys longstanding conflict with our unseen viral enemies, from our successes to our continuing struggles. The deep human history of respiratory viruses like covid. The total number of deaths worldwide from the pandemic is estimated at 75 million people. This article is a list of known epidemics caused by an infectious disease. Influenza a viruses are constantly changing, making it possible on very rare occasions for nonhuman influenza viruses to change in such a way that they can infect people easily and spread efficiently from person to person. The antonine plague was possibly an early appearance of smallpox that began with the huns. The account ranges from a few of the most famous viruses of history, such as yellow fever and measles, to those such as aids, ebola and mad cow disease which still threaten today.
Michael oldstone tells all these stories as he illuminates the history of the devastating diseases that have tormented humanity, focusing mostly on the most famous. One of the worst pandemics of human history began in january of 1918 and ran through december 1920. The first small cities formed not only the cradle of civilization but the spawning ground for the. History is dotted with epidemics and plagues, but a certain number of them stand out as unique for their severity and impact on future generations. Viruses, plagues, and history provoke the fear today that yellow fever, poliomyelitis, and smallpox did in previous times. Recent examples of pandemics include the avian, or bird, flu h1n1.
This retelling, by scripps research institute virologist oldstone, is less passionate than laurie garretts the coming plague, being more or less a prosaic, factual account of viral plagues in recorded history. This is a list of the worst plagues in mans recorded history. Oldstones book is a vivid history of a fascinating field, and a highly reliable dispatch from an eminent researcher on the front line of this ongoing. Oldstones book is a vivid history of a fascinating field, and a highly reliable dispatch from an eminent researcher on the front line of this ongoing campaign. The huns then infected the germans, who passed it to the romans and then returning troops spread it. Read viruses, plagues, and history past, present and future by michael b. Viruses, plagues, and history paints a sweeping portrait of humanitys long standing conflict with our unseen viral enemies. The 10 deadliest epidemics throughout history health24.
A great plague was believed to have happened around 100,000 years ago, during the paleolithic period, and is thought to have reduced the numbers of humans drastically, specifically killing the very young. A look back through history reveals outbreaks so expansiveso deadlythat they essentially changed the course of history. Familiar but compelling, the story of mankinds undoing by epidemic infectious diseases never fails to fascinate and appall. Plagues and epidemics have ravaged humanity throughout its existence, often changing the course of history. Viruses, plagues, and history audiobook, written by. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet.
That is why the plague of athens is also among the worst epidemics and plagues in history. The first small cities formed not only the cradle of civilization, but the spawning ground for the earliest viral epidemics, the first opportunity for viruses to find a. At the same time, they have also caused a number of economic and cultural changes. Three of the deadliest pandemics in recorded history were caused by a single bacterium, yersinia pestis, a fatal infection otherwise known as the plague. The story of viruses and humanity is a story of fear and ignorance, of grief and heartbreak, and of great bravery and sa. The story of viruses and the story of humanity have be. Here are ten of the most atrocious plagues in human history, what they were, and what happened. Some plagues are more deadly than others, but here are the worst of the worst.
The h1n1 flu virus was known at the time as the spanish flu as censors during world war i wanted. Great plague of marseille killed a total of 100,000 people, 1920 spanish flu, coronavirus update live. In 17 chapters, the author gives the nonspecialist reader a complete account of viruses and viruscaused plagues such as smallpox, yellow fever, measles, polio, hemorrhagic fever, lassa fever, ebola, hantavirus, sars, west nile virus, mad cow disease, and influenza. In todays video we are looking at the most deadly plagues that have ever existed.
Throughout history, many of the biggest plagues and pandemics have coincided with a conjunction. Widespread noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer are not included. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. The 10 deadliest epidemics throughout history these deadly outbreaks throughout history make last winters flu look like a walk in the park. The story of viruses and humanity is a story of fear and ignorance, of grief and heartbreak, and of great bravery and sacrifice. According to various scholars, the epidemic killed up to one third of the population of people in the city. One former plague, a type of influenza virus that killed over 20 million persons between 1918 and 1919more victims than died in world war imay make a comeback.
On april 4, jupiter and pluto will make their first of three. Search the history of over 418 billion web pages on the internet. Here are the 12 viruses that are the worlds worst killers, based on their mortality rates, or the sheer numbers of people they have killed. These deadly bacteria and viruses will surely give us all some perspective and plagues to reflect upon. Thus, it is clear that these dangerous viruses and plagues have played a commanding role in changing the course of the human existence. Humans have been fighting viruses throughout history. Viruses, plagues, and history past, present and future. However, several who became prominent by identifying, isolating, or curing viral infections have been singled out by history as heroes. Oldstones book is a vivid history of a fascinating field, and a highly reliable dispatch from a worker on the frontiers of this ongoing campaign. Oldstone is professor and head of the viralimmunobiology laboratory at the scripps research institute. Michael oldstone tells all these stories as he illuminates the history of the devastating diseases that have tormented humanity, focusing mostly on the most famous viruses.
Buy a cheap copy of viruses, plagues, and history book by michael b. These are meetups between global jupiter, the planet of expansion and knowledge, and shadowy pluto, which rules all things hidden and buried. Oldstones book is a vivid history of a fascinating field, and a highly reliable dispatch from an eminent. How 5 of historys worst pandemics finally ended history. It began in southwestern or central asia and spread to europe by the late 40s. The history of viruses and virology is also the history of men and women who have worked to combat these diseases. The conquest or control of any disease requires the efforts of many.
From the reshaping of europe by the black death to the devastation of the americas by measles and smallpox, human civilization has been shaped by epidemics. Viruses, plagues, and history shows the panorama of humanitys longstanding conflict with unseen viral enemies, from successes to continuing struggles. The history of pandemics, from the antonine plague to the novel coronavirus covid19. The distinctive human disease pooland its array of respiratory viruses in particularis a product of our distinctive history as a species. Pandemics and the shape of human history the new yorker.
By most accounts, it was the most lethal episode of illness in the period of classical greece history. The bacteria yersinia pestis was responsible for the bubonic plague, or the black plague. Michael b a oldstone the story of viruses and the story of humanity have been intertwined since the dawn of history. Viruses, plagues, and history paints a sweeping portrait of humanitys longstanding conflict with our unseen viral enemies. The black death, or the black plague, was one of the most deadly pandemics in human history. Outbreaks have sparked riots and propelled publichealth innovations, prefigured revolutions and redrawn maps. The plague of justinian, an epidemic that afflicted the eastern roman empire, claimed nearly 10,00,00,000 lives.