HOMEPAGE

=HOMEPAGE= =**__TOP 5 DISEASES AND THE IMPACT ON HISTORY__**=

====History books are filled with accounts of plagues and illnesses. This website takes a look at each of the well known diseases and accesses their impact on history. Either by the high death toll or by the progression in health due to the disease. This website does not mean to categorize theses illnesses or rank but to educate.====

5. SMALLPOX 4. YELLOW FEVER 3. SPANISH INFLUENZA 2. POLIOMYELITIS 1. BUBONIC PLAGUE


= = =5. Smallpox= Smallpox is a severe and contagious disease that is characterized by a skin rash that contains fluids, which is extensive on the face, extremities and trunk. The Variola virus gains access to the body through respiratory routes, where contamination is from direct face-to-face contact with the infected or through bedding, clothing or inanimate objects that have come into contact with the infected patient. However, throughout the ages the debut of smallpox has been thought to be in 1157 BC as 3 Egyptian Mummy remains showcase extensive smallpox lesions. Smallpox has interwoven throughout history until the announcement of the organization WHO certified the eradication of the disease in 1979. To this day smallpox has been the single most successful eradication of a human infectious disease.

Links to additional information on smallpox: 1. Smallpox and its transmission 2. Smallpox Debut 3. Smallpox and the Aztec's 4. Smallpox and War 5. The Vaccine == A smallpox infected victim.

= = = = = = =4. Yellow Fever= Yellow fever, also called yellow jack or yellow plague is a virus transmitted through a monkey-mosquito cycle in the jungle, where the route of transmission was the female Aedes ageypti mosquito. However, once humans started to explore the into these areas of infected monkeys the disease spread to urban life. The symptoms of the disease include fever, chills, headaches, vomiting, liver/heart or renal failure, delirium and yellowing of the skin develops, where death usually follows. In 1900, 4 microbiologists lead by W. Reed underwent self-experimentation to prove the vector of the mosquito. The result lead to the understanding of the cycle of the mosquito and the infected host. As the yellow fever virus was transmitted to the mosquito by the infected blood, however a lag time was required for the infection of the salivary glands of the Aedes, prime position for further spread of the virus. Yellow fever then altered history by affecting the building of the Panama Canal in 1881. However, the discovery of a vaccination by M. Theiler in 1937 eradicated the urban yellow fever, yet the jungle yellow fever of the monkey-mosquito cycle cannot be maintained. Therefore, yellow fever is still a threat, as men still venture into jungle habitats.

== The Aedes mosquito now known as the vector for the transmission of yellow fever.

= = =3. Spanish Influenza= The 1918 Flu epidemic, which is referred to the Spanish flu. It was caused by an unusually virulent and deadly influenza A virus strain of sub-type H1N1.The outbreak was considered a higher death toll than world war one, and that of the Black Death, with an estimated 50 million dieing.

= = =2. Polio= Polio or poliomyelitis virus gains access through the respiratory routes of the mouth, binding to the cells in the gut, were from here the virus travels to lymphoid tissues (Peyer patches) undergoing multiplication, then the virus enters the bloodstream and then through the nervous tracts to the CNS. In paralytic Poliomyelitis causes the disuses of the limbs (legs and arms). In uncommon cases the the neurons of the brain stem were involved, so the breathing of the infected was jeopardizes. Therefore, the iron-lung was used, forcing air in and out of the lungs, with out this device the patients certain death would occur. The transmission of the virus was in feces, which the virus can then contaminate swimming pools or a cities water supply, which then continues the cycle of infection. In 1916, 50,000 children were sent away from the new york area, school was suspended, swimming pools were closed, movie theaters and railway tickets were refused to children under 16. However, in 1955 Salk and his colleges had chemically inactivated the polio virus, providing a initial vaccine. Yet, in 1960, Sabin and Koprowski worked independently, to produce a vaccine with alive attenuated (weakened) virus. Following previous examples such as Jenner (smallpox) and Theiler (Yellow fever). On august 24th, 1960 Sabin's vaccine was chosen over Koprowski's to be made a public vaccine (even though the two vaccines did not differ from one another). Salk's vaccine was slowly phased out, with Sabin's.

== The famous iron-lung machines used for uncommon poliomyelitis patients

= = =1. Bubonic Plague= Swollen lymph glands, skin turning red then black, heavy breathing, aching limbs, blood vomiting and excruciating pain caused by the rotting of the victims flesh are some of the common symptoms for the bubonic plague or black death. There were three types of the black death with two routes of transmission. The vector of the septicemia or bubonic plague was the direct contact with a flea carrying the disease, whereas, the pneumonic plague was transmitted by the airborne saliva of the infected human of the bubonic plague. The cycle of the bacteria started with the infected rats-the flea bites and drinks the blood of the infected host-the flea incubates the bacteria in its gut-upon, blocking its stomach making it ravenous with hunger so biting a human the infection is transferred (dies by starvation)-the human becomes the new host and can transfer the bacteria by the spraying of saliva secretions while coughing. The effect left Europe with 1/2 its population and effected its economy, also effecting the next generation. The sing-song rhyme Ring a-round the rosy Pocket full of posies Ashes, ashes! We all fall down! is a result of the parents education to the children to beware of the disease however, overall 25 million died in Europe alone.

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