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1157 BCE
Smallpox
An eradicated virus that used to be contagious, disfiguring, and often deadly. -
Period: 541 BCE to 542 BCE
The Plague of Justinian
The Plague of Justinian (541–542) was a pandemic that afflicted the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, especially its capital Constantinople, the Sassanian Empire, and port cities around the entire Mediterranean Sea. One of the deadliest plagues in history, this devastating pandemic resulted in the deaths of an estimated 25 million -
300 BCE
Rabies
A deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. -
Period: Jan 4, 1347 to Jan 5, 1352
The Second Plague Event
The second plague pandemic is a major series of epidemics of the plague that started with the Black Death, which reached mainland Europe in 1348 and killed up to a third of the population in the next four years. -
The Great Plague of Seville
The Great Plague of Seville was a massive outbreak of disease in Spain that killed up to a quarter of Seville's population. -
Yellow Fever
A deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. -
Period: to
Cholera
A bacterial disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration, usually spread in water.Cholera is rare in industrialized countries. It's fatal if not treated right away.
Key symptoms are diarrhea and dehydration. Rarely, shock and seizures may occur in severe cases.
Treatment includes rehydration, IV fluids, and antibiotics. -
Scarlet Fever
A bacterial illness that develops in some people who have strep throat. -
Typhoid Fever
A bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water or close contact. -
Period: to
The Peak of Polio
Polio is a viral disease that affects the nervous system, causing paralysis. It spreads through direct contact with people who have the infection. The first major polio epidemic in the United States occurred in 1916 and reached its peak in 1952. Of the 57,628 reported cases, there were 3,145 deaths. -
Spanish Flu
A bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water or close contact. -
Crimean-Congo fever
Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widespread tick-borne viral disease that is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia. The virus is a member of the Bunyaviridae family of RNA viruses. It is a zoonotic disease carried by several domestic and wild animals. -
Asian Influenza
First identified in China in late February 1957, the Asian flu spread to the United States by June 1957 where it caused about 70,000 deaths. Also known as Asian influenza. Immunity to this strain of influenza A (H2N2) was rare in people less than 65 years of age, and a pandemic was predicted. -
Kyasanur Forest Disease
Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever endemic to South Asia. The disease is caused by a virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, which also includes yellow fever and dengue fever. -
Junin Virus
The Junin virus or Junín virus is an arenavirus that causes Argentine hemorrhagic fever. The virus takes its name from the city of Junín, around which the first cases of infection were reported, in 1958. -
HIV
HIV causes AIDS and interferes with the body's ability to fight infections. -
Machupo virus
Machupo virus is a virus from the Arenaviridae family and is the cause of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever (BHF), also known as Black Typhus or Ordog Fever. It was first identified in 1959 by a research group from the National Institutes of Health, led by Karl Johnson. -
Marburg Virus
Marburg virus is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Filoviridae family of viruses and a member of the species Marburg marburgvirus, genus Marburgvirus. Marburg virus (MARV) causes Marburg virus disease in humans and nonhuman primates, a form of viral hemorrhagic fever. The virus is considered to be extremely dangerous. -
Hong Kong Influenza
It was caused by an H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus, descended from H2N2 through antigenic shift, a genetic process in which genes from multiple subtypes reassorted to form a new virus. Because it originated in Hong Kong, the pandemic is also referred to as Hong Kong flu. -
Lassa Virus
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses. It is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent excreta. The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa. -
Dengue Fever
A mosquito-borne viral disease occurring in tropical and subtropical areas.Those who become infected with the virus a second time are at a significantly greater risk of developing severe disease.
Symptoms are high fever, rash, and muscle and joint pain. In severe cases there is serious bleeding and shock, which can be life threatening.
Treatment includes fluids and pain-relievers. Severe cases require hospital care. -
Period: to
Second Measles Outbreak
Measles is a virus that causes a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat, and later a rash that spreads over the whole body. It’s a very contagious disease and can spread through the air. In the early 20th century, most cases involved children, due to inadequate vaccination coverage. -
Hantavirus
Hantaviruses are single-stranded, enveloped, negative sense RNA viruses in the Bunyaviridae family which can kill humans. They normally infect rodents and do not cause disease in these hosts. -
Bird Flu
Strains of the influenza virus that primarily infect birds, but can also infect humans.This type of flu is most often contracted by contact with sick birds. It can also be passed from person to person.
Symptoms begin within two to eight days, and can seem like the common flu. Cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, and shortness of breath may occur.
The disease can carry a high mortality in humans. Some antiviral drugs, if taken within two days of symptoms, may help. -
Rotaviruss
Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhoeal disease among infants and young children. It is a genus of double-stranded RNA viruses in the family Reoviridae. -
SARS Epidemic
A contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus. -
Period: to
Whooping Cough
Pertussis, known as whooping cough, is highly contagious and one of the most commonly occurring diseases in the United States. These coughing attacks can last for months. Infants too young for vaccination have the highest risk for life-threatening cases. Ten infants died during the first outbreak. -
The Ebola Outbreak
The West African Ebola virus epidemic was the most widespread outbreak of Ebola virus disease in history—causing major loss of life and socioeconomic disruption in the region, mainly in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone -
Period: to
The Zika Virus
A disease caused by Zika virus that's spread through mosquito bites.here's no vaccine or specific treatment. Instead the focus is on relieving symptoms and includes rest, rehydration, and acetaminophen for fever and pain. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen should be avoided.