Four pandemics that changed the world – AL DIA News
Posted: March 20, 2020 at 11:45 am
When the World Health Organization (WHO)labeled the new COVID-19a "pandemic", that is, a disease that is occurringall over the world at the same time, there were moments reminiscentof times of war: thedeserted streets, supermarkets overwhelmed by hundreds of people scrambling for goods, and the constant media monitoring of the infection's progress the number of sick and dead increasing daily.Although our health system is not what it was in 1918, when the Spanish Fluwreaked havoc, nor will the coronavirus be as lethal as smallpox the most deadly pandemic some people will still make historical comparisons.To keep you up to date with what's happening now and what's happened in the past, here's tour of the five most devastating pandemics that we've emerged from.
HIV/AIDS
It has killed more than 25 million people worldwide, and although preventive treatments such as PrEP have been developed toreduce infections by 90%, a global cure has yet to be found.HIV originated in Africa, where apes have an HIV-like virus known as SIV.
Scientists still speculate on whether interspecies contagion occurred from hunting or eating infected chimp meat.AIDS wasn't detected as a disease until the 1980s, when it was observed in the United States, especially among homosexual patients in New York and California. It was later determined an evolution of the HIV infection, which transmitted through any passage of bodily fluid (intravenous drug usage and sexual intercourse were the most common). Doctors named it acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)because the virus attacks the white blood cells that help fight infection.Today, there are two patients worldwide who have been cured of HIV thanks to a stem cell transplant whose donor carried a mutation known as CCR5-delta 32.
The Black Death or Bubonic Plague
It ravaged the European continent from the mid-14th century until its last outbreak three hundred years later and is responsible for more than 75 million deaths.
Although at that time the devastating epidemic was attributed to Divine Cholera and even to the passage of a comet, the origin was a bacterium that appeared in Asia and spread through parasites such as rat fleas. Its spread originated at trade ports, and was helped by the poor hygiene conditions and diet of the time period.
Death occurred in less than a week after the disease manifested, with the appearance of buboes - or swelling of nodes in the lymphatic system - accompanied by high fevers, delirium, chills and stinking suppurations. The sick were confined to their homes along with their families as means of containment. In some cases, it wiped out whole villages in Europe, which were sometimes discovered hundreds of years later.
Spanish Flu
The disease gotits name during WWI fromSpanish newspapers, which remained neutral in the conflict, and were the only ones to report on its lethality without censorship.
It is believed that Spanish Flu was responsible for between 50 and 100 million deaths and some the first cases reported were among the United States military, who could have broughtit to Europe when they landed to fight the Germans. Regardless, there are many theories around its origin.
As deadly as it is heartbreaking, there were cases in the United States of people rising with fever and dying on their way to work.
In a previous article, we commented on why its fatality rate, which is often used incomparisontoCovid-19, is wrong, as it is well over the 2% reported by WHO.
Smallpox
Holding the position of the most devastating global pandemic,Smallpoxhas contributed to the decline of entire civilizations such as the Aztec and Inca Empires when theSpanish brought the disease in their "conquest" of the New World in 1519. It is estimated that 90% of indigenous deaths during European colonization were not due to "fire," but rather, disease.
In Europe, smallpox killed 60 million people in the 18th century alone, and a hundred years later there were 300 million deaths worldwide.
Its Latin name means "spotted", because of the bumps and bruises that appeared on the faces of those afflicted. It was highly contagious and those who survived would carry marks on their skin for the rest of their lives, and some even wentblind.
One of modern medicine's greatest achievements was the creation of a vaccine for smallpox in 1979. As a result, Smallpox is considered eradicated.
See the rest here:
Four pandemics that changed the world - AL DIA News
- Secret History of Diamonds Narrated for the Visually Impaired - Part 2 of 4 [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2011]
- Skin Stem Cells: Their Biology [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2011]
- Emerge Labs New Anti Aging Swiss Apple Stem Cell Skin Care [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2011]
- No Avastin for Breast Cancer [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2011]
- Signals Skincare System [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2011]
- Signals Skincare System [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2011]
- Growing Nerve Cells [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2011]
- Elaine Fuchs Part 2: Tapping the Potential of Adult Stem Cells, and Summary [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2011]
- A Major Breakthrough in Skin Care and Nutrition [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Facial At Metamorphosis Day Spa Using Emerge Labs Skin Care [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2011]
- Come Back Kid [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2011]
- PhytoCell.mp4 [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2011]
- When Beauty Calls: The Link between Science and Skin Care [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2011]
- Skin Stem Cells: Their Biology [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2011]
- Come Back Kid [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2011]
- PhytoCell.mp4 [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2011]
- The Skin Gun stem cell research [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2011]
- World's 1st Nutricosmetic with Stem Cell Nutrients [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2011]
- NG Raccoon Attack [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2011]
- No Avastin for Breast Cancer [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2011]
- E'shee HBA Global Expo 2011, NYC. Skin Care Anti-Aging Symposium [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2011]
- Growing Nerve Cells [Last Updated On: July 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 9th, 2011]
- The Skin Gun [Last Updated On: July 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 9th, 2011]
- E'shee HBA Global Expo 2011, NYC. Skin Care Anti-Aging Symposium [Last Updated On: July 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 14th, 2011]
- A Major Breakthrough in Skin Care and Nutrition [Last Updated On: July 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 17th, 2011]
- Elaine Fuchs Part 1: Introduction to Stem Cells [Last Updated On: July 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 20th, 2011]
- World's 1st Nutricosmetic with Stem Cell Nutrients [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2011]
- Stem cells acquired from human skin [Last Updated On: August 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 9th, 2011]
- Stem cells acquired from human skin [Last Updated On: August 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 17th, 2011]
- DermaStem Renewal Serum - Stem Cells for Your Skin from STEMTech - New Paradigm in Beauty! [Last Updated On: August 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 19th, 2011]
- DermaStem Renewal Serum - Stem Cells for Your Skin from STEMTech - New Paradigm in Beauty! [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2011]
- ReLuma-stemcells- skin rejuvenation [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Dr Nathan Newman- Formulator of Stem Cell Skin Care Line LUMINESCE [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Genetic Skin Disease (EB): Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Patient Advocate [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Genetic Skin Disease (EB): Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Patient Advocate [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Skin Care- What is the role of stem cells in Luminesce Featuring Dr Nathan Newman [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Luminesce Stem Cell Skin Care - Leaders in Jeunesse [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- The Skin Gun (Stem Cell research to replace burnt off skin. Done in 3 days!) [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Skin Care- What is the role of stem cells in Luminesce Featuring Dr Nathan Newman [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Genetic Skin Disease (EB): Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Welcome [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Stem Cells Made From Human Skin [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Jeunesse Global Business Opportunity with Stem Cell Skin Care Developed by Dr Nathan Newman [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Therapy Skin Repair and Anti-Wrinkle Cream [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cells Made From Human Skin [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Genetic Skin Disease (EB): Optimizing Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Protocols [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Genetic Skin Disease (EB): Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Introduction [Last Updated On: September 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 11th, 2011]
- Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin [Last Updated On: September 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 11th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Therapy - BioLogic Anti-Aging Skin Cream [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Best natural skin care serum using stem cell technology [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Jeunesse Global Business Opportunity with Stem Cell Skin Care Developed by Dr Nathan Newman [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Genetic Skin Disease (EB): Optimizing Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Protocols [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- The Skin Gun (Stem Cell research to replace burnt off skin. Done in 3 days!) [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Research on skin cancer: ERC funds studies on stem cells [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Skin engineering [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Stem Cell Banking: The Perspective of an iPS Donor Family [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Jeunesse Global Opportunity- Stem Cell Skin Care [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Dr Nathan Newman Repairs Laugh Lines With Stem Cell Face Lift [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Dr Nathan Newman MD Stem Cell Face lift On Extra TV.flv [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Dr Nathan Newman Stem Cell Face Lift on Entertainment Tonight [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Dr Nathan Newman MD Stem Cell Face lift On Good Morning LA.flv [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Ellis Martin Report with International Stem Cell Corp [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- Dr Nathan Newman MD Stem Cell Face lift on Channel 7 KABC.flv [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Face Treatment - What People Are Saying | Beverly Hills | Los Angeles [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- How To Use Your Stem Cells For Facial Skin Rejuvenation [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- StemCellTV - From National Geographic - The Skin Gun - Healing Burns with Stem Cells [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- AMAZING - Stem Cell Skin Cream And Liquid Face Lift Revealed [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Care for Your Skin with Lifeline Skin Care [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- For Damaged Skin - Rejuvenate Your Own Stem Cells [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- Stem Cells: Fulfilling the Promise - 2011 CIRM Grantee Meeting [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- Dr.Thomas Barnes' PRP Hair Growth and Skin Rejuvenation [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Face Lift - English (Part 5) [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- Dr Amiya Prasad discusses ACell for Hair Regrowth and Skin Rejuvenation with EYES IN Magazine [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2011]
- Brussels scientist close to discovering skin cancer origins [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- Cell Reprogramming Transformed [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2011]
- Cell Reprogramming Transformed [Last Updated On: October 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 7th, 2011]
- Elaine Fuchs Part 1: Introduction to Stem Cells English Subtitle [Last Updated On: October 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 10th, 2011]
- Elaine Fuchs Part 1: Introduction to Stem Cells English Subtitle [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2011]
- Elaine Fuchs discusses research on skin and adult stem cells - Video [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2011]
- Signals Stem Cell Skin Care Anti Aging Skin Care - Video [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2011]