-
430 BCE
Plague of Athens
Causal Agent: Unknow (possibly typhoid fever)
Disease Type: Infectious (fever)
Initial Region: Greece
Global Impact: Athens and other city-states -
165
Antonine Plague
Causal Agent: Smallpox or Measles
Disease Type: Infectious (viral)
Initial Region: Roman Empire
Global Impact: Millions of deaths -
251
Plague of Cyprian
Causal Agent: Likely smallpox
Disease Type:Infectious (viral)
Initial Region: Roman Empire
Global Impact: High mortality in Roman cities -
541
Justinian Plague
Causal Agent: Yersinia pestis
Disease Type: Bubonic Plague
Initial Region: Egypt / Byzantine Empire
Global Impact: 50 million deaths -
1301
Subsequent Plague Pandemics
Casual Agent: Yersinia Pestis
Disease Type: Bubonic Plague
Initial Region: Europe/Asia
Global Impact: Multiple outbreaks, millions of deaths -
1347
Black Death
Casual Agent: Yersinia pestis
Disease Type: Bubonic Plague
Initial Region: Central Asia
Global Impact: 75–200 million deaths -
1501
Smallpox Pandemics
Casual Agent: Smallpox virus
Disease Type: Viral
Initial Region: Global (colonization)
Global Impact: High mortality; eradicated in 1980 -
First Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial (diarrheal)
Initial Region: India
Global Impact: Six more pandemics from 1826-1923 -
Secondd Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial
Initial Region: India/Europe
Global Impact: Spread to Europe and America -
Third Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial
Initial Region: Global
Global Impact: The deadliest of all -
Fourth Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial
Initial Region: India
Global Impact: 100,000--150,000 deaths -
Fifth Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial
Initial Region: India/Europe
Global Impact: 400,000 deaths -
Russian Flu (possible pandemicc)
Casual Agent: Likely H2N2 or coronavirus
Disease Type: Influenza (viral)
Initial Region: Russia
Global Impact: 1 million deaths -
Sixth Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial
Initial Region: India/Russia
Global Impact: 800,000 deaths -
Spanish Flu
Casual Agent: H1N1
Disease Type: Viral
Initial Region: USA/Europe/Asia
Global Impact: 20-50 million detahs -
Asian Flu
Casual Agent: H2N2 Influenza
Disease Type: Viral
Initial Region: China
Global Impact: 1-2 million deaths -
Seventh Cholera Pandemic
Casual Agent: Vibrio cholerae
Disease Type: Bacterial
Initial Region: Indonesia/Asia
Global Impact: 1.5 million deaths -
Hong Kong Flu
Casual Agent: H3N2 Influenza
Disease Type: Viral
Initial Region: Hong Kong
Global Impact: 1 million deaths -
HIV/AIDS
Casual Agent: HIV
Disease Type: Viral (retrovirus)
Initial Region: Central Africa
Global Impact: 32 + million deaths so far -
Swine Flu (H1N1)
Casual Agent: H1N1 Influenza
Disease Type: Viral
Initial Region: Mexico/USA
Global Impact: 200,000 confirmed deaths -
COVID-19
Casual Agent: Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)
Disease Type: Respiratory Viral
Initial Region: China
Global Impact: 7+million confirmed deaths worlddwide