Any epidemic coming meant a new turn in history. Since such an enormous number of victims that caused the deadly disease could go undetected. The most striking cases of epidemics have reached us through the centuries in historical chronicles ...

Known flu epidemic

The influenza virus is constantly modified, so it is difficult to find a cure for the treatment of this dangerous disease. In world history, there are several epidemics of influenza, which claimed millions of lives.

The Spanish flu

"Spanish Flu" was another shock for the population of Europe after the First World War. This fatal disease raged in 1918 and is considered one of the strongest in the history of pandemics. More than 30 percent of the world's population has been infected with this virus, fatal ended more than 100 million cases of infection.



At that time, in order to avoid panic in society, most governments are taking any action to silence the scale of the disaster. Only in Spain, news about the epidemic were credible and objective. Therefore, the effects of the disease and received the popular name of "Spanish flu". Later this flu strain called H1N1.

Bird flu

The first data about bird flu appeared in 1878. He was described by a veterinarian from Italy Eduardo Perronchito. Its modern name H5N1 strain obtained in 1971. And the first recorded human infection with the virus were recorded in 1997 in Hong Kong. Then, the virus was transmitted from birds to humans. Ill 18 people, 6 of whom died. A new outbreak of the disease occurred in 2005 in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia. Then suffered 112 people died - 64.



From 2003 to 2008, the bird flu virus has claimed 227 lives. And if that is to talk about these kinds of flu epidemic early, forget about the danger in any case it is impossible, because the immunity from viruses mutated in humans there.

Swine flu

Another dangerous type of flu - swine influenza or "Mexican", "North American influenza". A pandemic of the disease was declared in 2009. For the first time the disease has been recorded in Mexico, and then began to spread rapidly throughout the world, reaching even to the coast of Australia.



This flu variety was awarded the 6 degree of threat. However, in the world and a lot of skeptics who reacted to the "epidemic" with suspicion. As a suggestion was put forward conspiracy pharmaceutical companies, which supported the WHO.

Notable epidemics feared diseases

Bubonic plague or Black Death

The most well-known pandemic in the history of civilization. Plague "decimated" the population of Europe in the 14th century. The main symptoms of this terrible disease have bleeding ulcers and fever. According to historians, the Black Death killed between 75 and 200 million people. Europe emptied twice. More than a hundred years of bubonic plague appeared in different places, spreading behind death and destruction. The last outbreak was recorded in the 1600s in London.

Plague of Justinian

The disease broke out in the year 541 in Byzantium. It is difficult to say the exact number of victims, but according to the average estimates, this outbreak of plague has claimed about 100 million lives. So, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, one in four died. Soon, the plague spread throughout the civilized world, including China.


Severe consequences of the pandemic had for the whole of Europe, however, the greatest losses incurred once the great Byzantine Empire, which was never able to recover from such a blow, and soon fell into disrepair.

Smallpox

Now scientists smallpox vanquished. However, in the last regular epidemic of this disease devastated the planet. According to one version, namely smallpox caused the death of the Inca and Aztec civilizations. It is believed that the disease weakened tribes gave themselves to win the Spanish troops.


Also, it did not spare pox Europe. Particularly bright flash of disease in the 18th century claimed the lives of 60 million people.

Seven pandemics of cholera

Seven pandemics of cholera spread out in history from 1816 to 1960. The first cases were reported in India, the main cause of infection were unsanitary living conditions. There cholera killed about 40 million people. Many deaths brought cholera and in Europe.


Now practical medicine won this once deadly disease. And only in rare severe cases, cholera is fatal.

Typhus

The disease is characterized by the fact that extends predominantly in cramped conditions. Thus, only in the 20th century typhus millions of people died. Most often, a typhus epidemic broke out during the war - on the front lines and in the concentration camps.

The worst epidemic in the world today

In February 2014 the world has stirred up a new pandemic threat - the Ebola virus. The first cases were reported in Guinea, after which the fever quickly spread to neighboring countries - Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Senegal. This outbreak is already called the strongest in the history of the Ebola virus.


The death toll from Ebola, according to the WHO, up to 90%, and now doctors have no effective drugs against the virus. More than 2,700 people in West Africa have already died from the disease and the epidemic continues to spread around the world ...