Over the long history of the Earth, viral diseases and infectious outbreaks have torn through civilizations. Societies grow and develop around these epidemics and sometimes even change life as we know it. From thousands of centuries ago to only a few years back, these are some of the worst illnesses that have been affecting humans for generations. 

Prehistoric Epidemic

An entire village in prehistoric China was wiped out some 5,000 years ago. Many died during this massive spread, and their bodies were placed together in a house that was then burned to the ground. Based on the skeletons later discovered, archaeologists could deem that every age group was affected by the disease. According to researchers, the event was so terrible that the location wasn't ever repopulated. 

Hamin Mangha

Today, the historic site is called "Hamin Mangha" and is used for archaeological studies frequently. It is one of the best-preserved locations in all of China. Shortly after the discovery of Hamin Mangha, another burial was found not very far away. This suggests to researchers that the mystery disease wiped out not just one village, but an entire region of prehistoric people. 

Plague of Athens

A pandemic took the lives of many Athens' city-dwellers. The disease ravaged the town from 430-435 BC. SIt is believed that over 100,000 people died during the epidemic. Thucydides, a Greek historian of the era, described the scene saying that "people in good health were all of a sudden attacked by violent heats in the head, and redness and inflammation in the eyes, [...] becoming bloody and emitting an unnatural breath."

Athens vs. Sparta

It's unknown what modern language would call this disease. Some believe it could have been Ebola or even Typhoid, but it's impossible to say for certain. Overcrowding as a result of the Spartan and Athens war caused the quick spread. Sparta's army was far more powerful than its competitors, and many Athenians were huddled in small homes together during the battles. 

Antonine Plague

The Antonine Plague occurred after Romans returned to the Empire after the campaigns in the East. The disease is believed to have been an early iteration of smallpox or measles. It is approximated that over 5 million people in the Roman empire died as a result of the untraceable disease. It tore through the towns from 165 to 180 AD, fifteen years of battling the affliction. 

War Against Parthia

Researchers suspect that the wounded soldiers returning to the Empire after a war against Parthia were the first carriers of the disease. Because of the epidemic, The Roman Peace (27 B.C.- A.D. 180) ended the Empire's reign of power over other worldwide forces. Christianity increased in popularity after the plague, but so did barbarianism, causing the empire powers to strain. 

Plague of Cyprian

St. Cyprian, who the epidemic is named after, described the epidemic as signaling the end of days. Over 5,000 people died a day in Rome alone from the mystery illness. In 2014, a mass grave burial location for the victims was discovered. Some of the discovered skeletons were well preserved with a thick layer of lime, but all others appeared to have been burned after their death. 

Unknown Causes

Usually, archaeologists and researchers can find a pretty good guess for what the people suffered, but such is not the case with the Plague of Cyprian. The bowels, relaxed into a constant flux, discharge the bodily strength," wrote St. Cyprian in his descriptions, "a fire originated in the marrow ferments into wounds of [an area of the mouth]." Sounds like a  pretty grim fate...

Plague of Justinian

The Plague of Justinian is one of the worst plagues in human history, but not much is known about it. After being struck by the bubonic plague, the Byzantine Empire (then led by Emporer Justinian, hence the name) began a steady decline. The plague took a while to die off, restarting again periodically for several years. Historians estimated that about 10% of the entire world population perished as a result.  

Byzantine Emperor Justinian

Under the leadership of Byzantine Emporer Justinian, the Byzantine Empire thrived, controlling the Middle East and parts of Western Europe. Justinian ordered the construction of the Hagia Sophia in the capital, Constantinople. Today, it resides in Instanbul. The Emporer fell victim to the plague as well but recovered. However, his reign did not, and the decline from power began after the initial spread. 

The Black Death

Traveling from Asia all the way to Europe, the Black Death is likely the most famous pandemic in history due to its widespread devastation and high death tolls. Over half of Europe's population perished as a result of the Black Death, as it was spread by infected fleas and rodents, which were commonplace at the time. The bodies of those infected were hidden away in mass burial sites and graves. 

Bubonic Plague

Europe was never the same after this tragic epidemic. Europe ended serfdom since there were too many dead to find cheap labor. Historians have discovered that the quality of life improved for those who managed to survive. The lack of able laborers also led to innovative technology and a cultural revolution. For those who could live to see it, Europe changed as a result of the deaths. 

Cocoliztli Epidemic

The cocoliztli epidemic was created from a form of viral hemorrhagic fever. In Mexico and Central America alone, over 15 million people perished from the virus. The area had already suffered from immense drought, and now it seemed that the worst was still to come. The name of the plague, Cocoliztli, comes from the Aztec word meaning "pest." The outcome was a catastrophe. 

Salmonella

Science has come a long way, and recently DNA from the skeletons of the victims was analyzed for helpful data. The DNA revealed that the citizens. were infected with a type of salmonella known as S. paratyphi C. This type of salmonella can cause typhoid fever. Some other side effects might have included dehydration, gastrointestinal issues, and extreme overheating.

The American Plagues

The American Plagues are actually not one disease, but several separate ones that occurred simultaneously. Brought over to the States by Europe and Asian colonies, these diseases led to some great downfalls in history, such as the collapse of the Incan and Aztec civilizations. About 90% of native people were killed due to this infestation, the worst of which was likely smallpox.  

Spanish Forces

 When the Spanish invaded the Aztec and Incan empires, the native armies were mostly sick and diseased, unable to fight. When conquering and colonizing the Western Hemisphere became popular for Eastern forces, things did not get better for the indigenous people. The plagues had helped make them susceptible to attacks and their numbers steadily decreased.  

Great Plague of London

King Charles II was the reigning ruler when the last big drop of the Black Death occurred, causing a massive exodus out of London and Great Britain as a whole. Starting in April 1665 continuing well into the hot summer, the Plague took over London and took the lives of many citizens. Similarly to its first iteration, bugs and rodents contributed greatly to the widespread illnesses. 

Great Fire of London

Overall, over 100,000 people had perished from fatal disease spread.  This number totaled to be about 15% of the complete population of London at the time. However terrible, things were only about to get worse for the British city.  In September, the first month after the plagues had ended, the Great Fire of London began.  It burned for four days and destroyed most of the local buildings and people. 

Great Plague of Marseille

When the ship Grand-Saint-Antoine docked in Marseille, France, the city would never be the same. The giant boat was filled with a cargo of goods from the eastern Mediterranean, where rodents and fleas were tucked into the boxes and crates. Once opened, their disease was released with it. The ship was quarantined, but still, people got sick from the infestation at sea. 

Perished Population

Sickness spread rapidly among the town, and though many tried to stop it by quarantining, it wasn't enough.  Over the course of three terrifying years and 100,000 victims to the spread, many perished in the city of Marseille and other surrounding cities. About 30% of Marseille's population died from the Plague brought over by fleas, rodents, and poor hygiene. 

The Russian Plague

When the plague hit Moscow, Russia, the citizens did not handle their quarantine well. Violence erupted and riots began in the streets. Archbishop Ambrosius, who asks the crowds to avoid gathering in worship to stop the spread, was viciously murdered by angry townspeople. Catherine II, empress at the time, was desperate to stop the spread and decreed all factories be relocated away from Moscow.

Plague Fort

Many who could possibly cure the condition were sent to live out their days on an island away from any possible sick people. This artificial island was known as Fort Alexander. About 100,000 died during the pandemic. Catherine struggled to keep order among the country for years following, but she never truly regained the support or control that she once had. 

Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic

Back in 1793, yellow fever spread rapidly throughout the city of Philadelphia, which was the capital of the United States during that time. Authorities at the time believed that slaves were unable to get sick from the disease, and sentenced many people of color to work as healthcare for those affected. Of course, many of those nurses were soon infected with the disease.

Mosquito Spread

Yellow fever was spread by mosquitos. That summer was one of the most overheated and humid on record at the time, so the insects came out in huge numbers. When winter finally came, all the mosquitos died out with the cold weather. It was only around then that the pandemic finally ceased. By that time though, over 5,000 people had already lost their lives. 

Flu Pandemic

Influenza, better known as the flu, wreaked havoc on many nations for centuries before scientists discovered the vaccine. With the rise of industrial transportation, the disease was easily spread from one country to another in just a few weeks.  After a few months, the disease killed off over a million people around the world, reaching peak mortality only five weeks into the pandemic. 

Worldwide Spread

Russia was the first country to report the influenza pandemic. The viral infection didn't take long to spread throughout the city of St. Petersburg and the rest of Russia. After about a week, the infection hit Europe hard, which then gave it to every other country around the world. Though air travel wasn't around yet, the transportation that did exist was enough to distribute the flu everywhere. 

American Polio Epidemic

Started in New York City, the polio epidemic was one of the worst that the US ever faced. There were over 27,000 unique cases and a total of 6,000 deaths during the height of the disease. It was especially scary since the condition primarily affected children and can lead to permanent disability. The infection peaked sporadically every few years, making it difficult to research. 

Vaccination Distribution

The Salk vaccine was created in 1954 by a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. The polio cases in the US steadily declined as the vaccine became more and more available to the general public. In 1979, it is believed that the last polio case in the US was diagnosed. It is not eradicated worldwide yet, so the pandemic lives on in other countries for the time being. 

The Spanish Flu

Historians estimated that 500 million suffered from one of the worst pandemics in history. An approximate fifth of those 500 million ultimately perished. This disease also pushed endangered communities further into extinction. The close quarters of soldiers at war made the flue even worse.  Terrible nutrition as a result of wartime provisions didn't make the situation any easier. 

Not So Spanish Flu

The Spanish Flu, contrary to the name, did not actually begin in Spain. At the time, Spain was one of the only countries that did not censor its press. As a result, newspapers were able to report whatever they wanted. Once they began covering the virus, which other nations kept under wraps, the population started to associate the country with the pandemic. 

Asian Flu

The Asian flu was another type of influenza that rocked the globe. The virus began in China but quickly spread around the world, taking over 1 million lives of patients. Caused by various blends of avian flu types, the virus took a terrible hold of UK countries. Irish schools were forced to close down and the government paid £10,000,000 in healthcare and damages. 

Children With Asian Flu

In total, about 1.1 million people worldwide died from the Asian Flu, with 116,000 of those deaths happening in American hospitals. Though many children were infected, it was much more fatal to the adults that cared for the sick, such as hospital workers, teachers, and parents. To prevent this fatality, schools and playgrounds were shut down for almost a year. 

AIDS Epidemic

AIDS is one of the worst epidemics that is still happening to this day. Since it was first recognized, AIDS has killed almost 35 million victims. AIDS starts as the virus HIV, which most likely has its roots in a chimpanzee virus that spread to people in West Africa. About 64% of the 40 million with HIV reside in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been considered a pandemic since the 20th century. 

No Known Cure

So far, there is no known cure for AIDS. However, medication advancements have made it possible to lead a fairly normal and healthy life with the condition and regular treatments. The diagnosis is no longer a death sentence for millions. As of 2020, there have been reports of preliminary medications curing HIV, which could be a huge breakthrough in finding the cure for AIDS as well. 

Swine Flu

Originating in Mexico in the spring of 2009, the swine flu was a strain of H1N1.  The rest of the world became infected shortly after the initial discovery in Mexico. According to the CDC, it only took one year for the virus to hit a massive amount of people. Over 1.4 billion people across the globe were infected with the virus, and anywhere between 151,600 and 575,300 died from it. 

Most strains of flu viruses, such as the seasonal flu, usually only affect those aged older than 65. However, with the swine flu, older people weren't affected as much s young adults and children. As a result, schools were encouraged to be aware of children who showed symptoms. A vaccine was discovered for the swine flu and is now included in the annual flu shots. 

Ebola Outbreak

Between 2014 and 2016, 28,600 reported cases of Ebola swept through West Africa, resulting in 11,325 deaths. First, it was discovered in Guinea, then moving onward toward Liberia and Sierra Leone. Most cases were reported in those three countries, but some other locations contracted it as well. These nations include Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, USA, and parts of Europe.

Still Going On

Though it's become less documented in recent years, the fight against Ebola is still going on. There is no known cure or vaccine for the disease, but scientists recently learned that the disease likely originated in bats. Symptoms for Ebola start with a light fever, headache, muscle pain, and chills but can progress to internal bleeding and coughing up blood or vomit. 

Zika Virus

Zika virus might seem like a lifetime ago, but the epidemic happened in just 2015 and is still happening in South America and Central America. Scientists are working tirelessly to find a cure or vaccine to reduce the impact on these nations and worldwide. The Zika virus spreads by way of a specific type of mosquito, but it can also be transmitted sexually between humans. 

Effects on Newborns

As an adult or even a child, the effects of Zika are generally not very harmful. However, it can have serious impacts on children who are still in the womb. Because of this, pregnant women are warned to stay away from mosquito bites as best as possible. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are found in hot, humid, and typically southern regions of the globe, so the mosquitoes likely won't die out anytime soon. 

Typhoid Epidemic

For several years, typhoid was one of the most complex killers of its victims. In the first week of contracting the disease, those afflicted would get fevers, lose white blood cells, have bloody noses and intense abdominal pain. By week two, they begin to act delirious and weaken to exhaustion. By week three, a typhoid patient would endure all types of painful symptoms, either surviving or dying by this period. 

Typhoid Mary

The most famous example of typhoid is a cook who earned the name Typhoid Mary. She was the first-ever documented asymptomatic carrier of the disease, accidentally infecting over 51 people with the fatal illness while feeling none of the effects herself. She was forced into isolation twice and died after 30 years in isolation on an island for typhoid patients. 

Malaria

Malaria is an epidemic concentrated mostly on South-East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Western Pacific, and the Americas. Babies, toddlers, pregnant women, and HIV/AIDS patients are all at a higher risk of contracting malaria. Malaria is spread through mosquitos and in 2018, there were an estimated 228 million reported cases and 405,000 deaths from the bug-borne illness.

Parasite Bite

A bite from a malaria-infected mosquito could mean life or death, so many children sleep under insecticide tents that can protect them from the disease at night. During the day they cover-up and wear insect repellent. Those who contract malaria usually experience "malaria attacks" which is described as shivering, chills, high fever, sweating, nausea, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting.  

Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis is one of the oldest known diseases, with a recorded case of it in a 17,000 years old bison. The disease originated from the animal but transferred it to humans. In the 1800s, about 25% of all deaths were attributed to tuberculosis. It also caused one in sixth deaths in France. However, once sanitation became better, the rates of death decreased dramatically. 

A Romantic Disease

Tuberculosis is sometimes referred to as the romantic disease, as it often affected artists, writers, poets, painters, and more. John Keats, Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, Charlotte Bronte, and George Orwell are just a few of the famous writers who were infected with TB at one point in their life. It's also a disease that many characters set in that time period would have contracted. 

Leprosy

Leprosy is a long-known disease, dating back to 2000 BC. The disease is spread through contact with others, though most won't contract it. Still, it was once thought to be highly contagious, and as a result, those infected were usually sent to live in a secluded island where they would live out the rest of their days. This island, Spinalonga, was a leper colony from 1903 to 1957. 

Leper Colonies

Leper colonies were options for those with leprosy to be quarantined, usually on an island or a remote part of a civilization. There is not a lot of recorded history in the colonies, and there are some missing facts about how they were kept. Some reports claim they were kept in poor health and disregarded from society, while others claim that the quarantined lived lives similar to those on the outside. 

The Dancing Plague

This is one of the weirdest plagues to ever have been recorded. In 1518, a woman reportedly started to fervently dance in the streets of Strasbourg, France. Others began to join in and the crowds of dancers grew larger. Eventually, the people were taken to hospitals as they could seemingly not stop dancing, even crying out in pain. Some died from the exhaustion, literally dancing to their deaths. 

Dance Mania

Dance mania was not actually dancing, maybe. Doctors today have diagnosed it as many things. Some say it was mass mania, a collective hysteria disorder, and collective mental illness. Thousands of people would gather and dance for days, weeks, and even months. The only agreed upon symptom is what seemed like an unconsciousness and lack of control of their actions. 

Dengue Virus

Mosquito based illnesses continue to ravage tropical climate countries, and dengue is one of the worst results. It is a disease that has dramatically increased over the last 20 years, racking up nearly 390 million new cases last year. The worst part is, carriers can be asymptomatic so there is no way to know who can and cannot be infecting others with this deadly disease. 

Research Difficulties

Those infected with dengue can experience fever, rash, and joint pain. In more severe cases there are reports of overwhelming blood loss and shock, both of which can have fatal consequences. There are five different types of the virus and it can be the result of 4 different other viruses, making it even more difficult to research and create vaccinations for. 

Mumps

Mumps is a viral disease that is considered to be very rare in modern-day, due to vaccinations. Mumps has been recorded since 400 BC but was not declared a contagious disease until 1934 when it was shown to transmit between people by a filterable virus. The disease was a huge detriment to armies fighting in both World War I and World War II. 

Mumps In Children

Mumps, while typically associated with children, can be contracted by any person of any age. There are almost no symptoms aside from swollen salivary glands, a slight fever, headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Recovery can take up to two weeks. With the rise of anti-vaccination beliefs, some scientists worry that mumps could make a return despite the preventative measures. 

SARS Outbreak

From 2002 to 2004, the SARS disease experienced a rapid outbreak in Asian countries. SARS, which stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, infected 8,000 people from 29 different countries. This caused 774 deaths around the world. The first widespread infector was a fisherman who checked into a hospital and gave SARS to 30 doctors and nurses. It soon spread to other health organizations.

SARS Dies Out

Thanks to quarantining, social distancing, and being smart about their hygiene, the outbreak died off within two years. Since May 2005, there have been no other cases of SARS reported in hospitals. One reporter wrote that "The epidemic strain of SARS that caused at least 774 deaths worldwide by June 2003 has not been seen outside of a laboratory since then." 

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)

Humans cannot contract mad cow disease, but they can contract the human equivalent...Creutzfeldt-Jakob or vCJD. This disease affects a person's brain so that their behavior changes, the experience painful sensations, and they are afflicted with psychiatric disorders seemingly out of nowhere. After getting the diagnosis, the average life expectancy goes down to 13 months. 

Mad Cow Disease

People can contract vCJD if they eat beef from a cow that has mad cow disease at the time of death. While mad cow disease is now fairly uncommon, at one point, it was undiagnosed and many were infected with vCJD as a result. Weirdly, you might also be able to contract this disease by eating the brains of squirrels or other uncommonly eaten animals...

Coronavirus

Coronavirus is a disease easily spread between people. It is an airborne illness and takes about 4 days to two weeks to show symptoms, although many can be asymptomatic. The symptoms include high fever, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, aches and pains, headaches, and more. Currently, there is no known cure for coronavirus, though it is possible to live through it. 

COVID-19

Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, can be prevented by social distancing, quarantine, regular hand washing, wearing masks, and rubber gloves. There is still a lot that is unknown about the virus, though everyone has been deeply affected by it in some way. The pandemic began in February of 2020 and caused the shut down of several bars, restaurants, service industries, and more.