Diseases: A brief guide to causes, symptoms, history, and

treatment
Since the beginning of human existence on the planet, diseases have played a significant role in the events

of every era. This brief listing of some of the most notorious diseases explains their causes, symptoms,

history, prevention, and treatment, and provide further information.

It would be difficult to overstate the impact of disease on history. Since the beginning of human existence on

the planet, diseases have played a significant role in the events of every era. Malaria, one of the oldest

known diseases, caused drastic declines in the population of Greek city-states in the fourth century. The

Spanish flu epidemic of 19181919 killed 20 million people around the world more than twice the number

of people who were killed during World War I. In 1944, a major outbreak of polio around Hickory, North

Carolina, overwhelmed the areas medical facilities, separating sick children from their families and

preventing healthy young people from visiting each other for fear of contracting the disease.

Scientific achievements through the ages have greatly alleviated the effects of some of the worst

diseases. The formulation of vaccines, the advent of effective mosquito control, and the introduction of

modern sanitation to urban areas have rendered diseases like polio, yellow fever, and cholera all but unheard

of in the United States. As a result, average life expectancy in the U.S. has risen from 47 years in 1900 to 77

years in 2008. Unfortunately, though, outbreaks of many of the most serious diseases still cause illness and

death around the world.

This brief listing of some of the most notorious diseases explains their causes, symptoms, history,

prevention, and treatment, and provides links to further information.

Cholera

Cholera is caused by a bacterial infection of the intestine. In many cases the infection is mild sometimes

producing no symptoms at all. But approximately one in 20 people infected with cholera has a serious case,

with symptoms including severe diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. These symptoms quickly cause

dehydration and shock, and can result in death within hours if the infected person doesnt receive treatment.

Cholera is typically transmitted by contaminated food or water. In areas with poor treatment of sewage

and drinking water, the feces of people with cholera can enter the water supply and spread quickly, resulting

in an epidemic. The cholera bacterium may also live in the environment in some coastal waters, so shellfish

eaten raw can be a source of cholera in affected areas.

 In the U.S., as in most other industrialized nations, cholera was common in the 1800s but has been

virtually wiped out by modern sewage and water treatment systems. Travelers to areas where cholera is

endemic may be exposed to the bacterium and can bring it back when they return. The risk of this is very

low, however, and can be avoided by taking simple precautions when eating and drinking in areas with

epidemic cholera. Also, because the disease isnt likely to spread through casual contact, returning travelers

typically dont cause widespread cholera outbreaks.

Although some cholera infections can be very severe, and even fatal, the disease can be easily and

successfully treated by quickly replacing the fluid and salts lost through diarrhea. With adequate treatment,

fewer than 1 percent of cholera patients die from the disease.

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system or the

skin. Respiratory diphtheria causes a sore throat and fever, and sometimes swelling of the neck. In severe

cases it can cause a membrane to form over the throat, which results in breathing

problems. Cutaneous diphtheria affects the skin, causing infected lesions to form. Diphtheria can lead to

coma and death if it goes untreated.

An infected person usually spreads the disease by coughing or sneezing. The person expels droplets

containing the diphtheria bacteria, which are then inhaled by another person. The disease is treated by

hospitalization and antibiotics.

Diphtheria was once very common in the U.S., with hundreds of thousands of cases occurring every

year. Since the introduction of a vaccine in the 1920s, cases of diphtheria in the U.S. have declined greatly,

with less than one case reported each year since 2000. But while mandatory vaccines for schoolchildren

have gone a long way toward controlling diphtheria in the U.S., the disease is still endemic in many

developing countries.

Malaria

Malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Symptoms occur ten days to four weeks

after being bitten and are similar to symptoms brought on by the flu chills, fever, sweating, headache, and

muscle pain. In serious cases, malaria may cause vomiting, anemia (iron deficiency), kidney failure, coma,

and death.
 The disease can be prevented by taking anti-malarial drugs and by avoiding mosquito bites in areas

where malaria infection is common. Those infected with malaria can be treated with prescription drugs,

which are most effective when taken early in the course of the disease.

The parasite that most often causes malaria needs warm temperatures to grow and thrive, so the

disease is typically found in tropical and subtropical countries. Malaria was once common in most of Europe

and North America, but effective mosquito control and other measures have nearly eradicated the disease in

these regions. While only about 1300 cases of malaria are reported in the U.S. each year, 300 to 500 million

cases occur around the world mostly in developing countries resulting in more than 1 million deaths

from malaria globally each year.

Measles

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. Early symptoms include fever, cough, red eyes,

and a runny nose. During the first few days, the characteristic measles rash appears, beginning with white

spots in the mouth and spreading to a red rash that covers the entire body. The rash typically lasts four to

seven days. Severe cases of measles can cause diarrhea, ear infection, pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of

the brain), and death.

The measles virus is easily spread through airborne droplets expelled by coughing or sneezing, and can

live in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has been present. After exposure, the virus lives in

the body for about two weeks before symptoms appear. There is no specific remedy available for measles, so

treatment usually consists of bed rest and easing symptoms.

Measles are still quite common, with more than 20 million people infected around the world each year.

In the U.S., a widespread immunization campaign has successfully controlled the disease, and fewer than

150 cases have been reported since 1997. About half of these cases result from visits to other countries

where measles is still endemic including some developed countries in Europe and Asia.

Mumps

Mumps is a contagious viral disease that causes painful swelling of the salivary glands. As a result, people

infected with mumps sometimes appear to have chipmunk cheeks. Other symptoms include fever,

headache, sore muscles, and fatigue. Serious complications are rare, and may include encephalitis (swelling

of the brain), inflammation of the sex organs, and deafness.

The mumps virus is transmitted by contact with the respiratory secretions of an infected person. Like

measles, mumps has a relatively long incubation period, with symptoms appearing more than two weeks
 after exposure. There are no specific treatments available for mumps, but the disease can be prevented by

immunization. Following the introduction of the mumps vaccine in 1967, reported mumps cases had declined

to fewer than 1,000 per year in the U.S. In recent years, however, mumps cases have increased.

Influenza

Influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is caused by a contagious virus. Symptoms include body

aches, sore throat, headache, fever, coughing, and chills. Perhaps because influenza is so common,

misconceptions about the disease abound. Often, people who experience a bad cold say they have the flu,

but this is incorrect: Unlike influenza, colds rarely cause headaches or fever. And despite widespread use of

the term stomach flu, true influenza does not cause gastrointestinal symptoms.

The flu is spread through airborne respiratory secretions. Symptoms can be serious, and the disease

can be fatal especially for babies, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. When

influenza pandemics occur, they spread quickly, often killing large numbers of previously healthy people.

From 1918 to 1919, a flu pandemic hit the U.S. in three waves. By the pandemics end, it had spread over

the entire globe and killed about 20 million people. Influenza pandemics occurred again in 19571958, and in

19681969, although they were nowhere near as severe as the pandemic of 19181919.

Influenza is still very common in the U.S.: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

between 5 percent and 20 percent of Americans get the flu every year, and about 36,000 cases are fatal.

The disease can be treated by antiviral medicines, and a seasonal vaccine is available to protect against it.

Because the virus changes every year, the vaccine must be reformulated yearly. Doctors recommend that

high-risk members of the population get a vaccine at the beginning of each flu season.

Poliomyelitis

Poliomyelitis (often shortened to polio) is a viral infection spread by person-to-person contact. Symptoms

vary according to the type of infection, and three basic patterns are common:

Subclinical infections, which account for the vast majority of polio cases. Symptoms may include

fatigue, headache, sore throat, mild fever, and vomiting. In some subclinical infections, no symptoms may

appear.

Nonparalytic poliomyelitis. Symptoms may include back pain, neck pain, fatigue, diarrhea,

headache, leg pain, fever, muscle stiffness, painful rash, and vomiting.
 Paralytic poliomyelitis (the most serious kind of polio infection.) Symptoms may include fever,

breathing difficulty, constipation, headache, muscle pain, muscle spasms, and muscle weakness on one side

of the body. Muscle weakness comes on quickly and progresses to paralysis.

Treatments vary according to the form of the disease, and may include antibiotics, pain-relieving medication,

and physical therapy to strengthen weak muscles. In 90 percent of cases a complete recovery is possible.

Paralytic cases account for the other 10 percent, which are rarely fatal but typically result in permanent

disability.

Polio mainly strikes children under the age of 5, and until the 1950s, thousands of children around the

world were permanently disabled by polio. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, scientists developed effective

vaccines that nearly eradicated polio as a public health problem in industrialized countries. Efforts are

underway to eliminate the disease world-wide, but around a dozen countries have reported cases in the last

two years.

Scarlet Fever

Scarlet fever is a disease caused by Streptococcus bacteria the same bacteria that cause strep throat. The

bacteria are spread through contact with the oral or nasal fluids of an infected person. Scarlet fever begins

with a fever and sore throat, and later causes a red rash that starts at the chest and spreads over the body.

Most cases of scarlet fever occur in children under the age of 18, and it was once a very serious childhood

disease. Before effective treatments became available it often led to rheumatic fever and death, but the

availability of antibiotics has dramatically reduced the scarlet fever mortality rate.

Scurvy

Scurvy is a disease caused by a vitamin C deficiency. Symptoms of scurvy include weakness, anemia, gum

disease, and bleeding from the mucus membranes. The disease was once common among sailors who were

at sea for long periods without access to fresh fruit. When it became widely known that citrus fruits (with

their abundant vitamin C) could prevent scurvy, sailors began taking lemon juice on long voyages and

incidences of scurvy diminished greatly. Cases of scurvy in the U.S. are now rare, but the disease

occasionally appears in older, malnourished adults.

Smallpox
Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and sometimes fatal infectious disease caused by a virus. There is no

specific treatment for smallpox disease, and the only prevention is vaccination. The name smallpox is

derived from the Latin word for spotted and refers to the raised bumps that appear on the face and body of

an infected person.

Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. At the onset of typhoid fever,

symptoms include fever, malaise, and stomach pain. As the disease progresses, the fever increases to over

103 degrees Fahrenheit and diarrhea begins. Eventually weakness and delirium develop, and in some cases

a rash appears on the chest and abdomen.

Salmonella typhi bacteria are spread by contaminated food or water. The bacteria live in the intestinal

tracts of infected humans and can enter the food supply as a result of improper hand-washing. Bacteria may

also enter the water supply in places where sewage is improperly treated. Typhoid bacteria can live in the

intestines of healthy people who carry and spread the disease without ever experiencing symptoms. In New

York in 1906, a cook named Mary Mallon was linked to outbreaks of typhoid fever in every town where she

worked. Eventually she was tested, and doctors discovered that although Mallon was perfectly healthy, she

unknowingly carried the typhoid bacteria. She became notorious as a disease carrier, acquiring the nickname

Typhoid Mary.

Because of modern sanitation, cases of typhoid fever in the U.S. and other industrialized nations are

now rare, but the disease still occurs regularly in nations where sewage treatment is inadequate. In most

cases, typhoid fever is not fatal if it is treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated the disease has a

mortality rate of 10-30%. The most effective prevention method is proper hygiene and sanitation, but

vaccines against the disease are also available.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes that carry the virus. The disease typically occurs in

tropical areas, particularly in parts of South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Before its cause was known,

yellow fever was also common in the U.S., and outbreaks killed thousands in port cities, including

Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, and New Orleans. In 1900, U.S. Army physicians made the

connection between yellow fever and mosquito bites, and subsequent efforts to control mosquitoes led to a

significant decline in yellow fever cases in the U.S. The last epidemic of yellow fever occurred in New Orleans

in 1905.
 Yellow fever symptoms usually appear three to six days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and

they develop in three stages. In the first stage, symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting,

and jaundice. This lasts for three to four days before the second stage remission begins. During

remission, the fever and other symptoms go away. Most people recover at this stage, but some move on to

the third stage intoxication. This stage is the most serious, and involves liver and kidney failure, bleeding

disorders, delirium, coma, and seizures. Yellow fever that reaches this third stage is often fatal. Although

individual symptoms can be treated, no effective treatments exist for the disease itself. A vaccine that

effectively prevents yellow fever has been widely available since the 1950s.