PANDEMICS THROUGH THE AGES 👣
Throughout history, infectious illnesses with pandemic potential have frequently emerged and spread. Major pandemics and epidemics have already impacted humanity, including the plague, cholera, flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The new coronavirus illness of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is currently affecting the entire world.
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The shift from hunter-gatherers to agrarian societies has favoured the spread of infectious diseases in the human population.Increased human-animal contact and increased trade across communities have resulted in the transmission of zoonotic infections. The subsequent growth of cities, the expansion of trade routes, increased travel, and the impact of an expanding human population on ecosystems have all contributed to an increase in the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks, epidemics, and even pandemics.The zoonotic transmission of pathogens from animals to humans is a pivotal mechanism by which emerging infections have afflicted humans throughout history.The probability of cross-species transmission of pathogens was dramatically enhanced with increased interactions with animals through hunting, animal farming, trade of animal-based foods, wet markets or exotic pet trade.
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PLAGUE OF JUSTINIAN (541-542 CE)
The plague of Justinian occurred in Egypt and spread throughout the Eastern Roman Empire and its neighbors. This contagious disease was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Between 541 and 543, the plague killed an estimated 100 million people in the Roman Empire and especially in its capital, Constantinople. The plague was given its name in honour of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565), who according to his court historian Procopius contracted the illness and recovered in 542, during the height of the epidemic that killed about a fifth of the population.Delusions, nightmares, fevers, and groyne, armpit, and behind-the-ear swellings have been reported in sufferers. According to Procopius, some patients went into comas while others had severe delusions. Many victims endured pain for days before passing away, while others passed away practically instantly.Following this original epidemic, there were sporadic plague outbreaks every 8 to 12 years for two centuries before they mysteriously stopped.The high mortality caused by the disease might have contributed to the weakening and eventually to the decline of the Byzantine Empire.
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THE BLACK DEATH
The Black Death, originated in East Asia and swept across Central Asia into Europe through the land and sea trade routes of the medieval Silk Road.It was caused by a strain of the bacterium Yersinia pestis that is likely extinct today and was spread by fleas on infected rodents. The bodies of victims were buried in mass graves. This plague pandemic lasted in Europe until the early of the 19th century and killed 200 million people. The lineages of Y. pestis that caused the plague of Justinian and the Black Death were independent emergences into human population.Up to 30% of the population of Europe perished during the Black Death (1346-1353), which was followed by subsequent waves like the plagues of Milan (1630), London's Great Plague (1665–1666), and Marseille (1720–1722).The epidemic altered the history of Europe. With so many people dead, it was harder to find labour, which led to higher wages for employees and the abolition of serfdom in Europe.Many important developments in the history of medicine and health occurred against this backdrop of plague: the rebirth of dissection, the discovery of the circulation of blood and the development of public health measures. The Great Plague of London in 1665 was the last significant epidemic in England, and after the 17th century, it appears that plague also vanished from Spanish and Germanic areas. The last significant plague outbreak in Western Europe is said to have occurred in Marseilles, France, in the years 1720–1721.
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THE SPANISH FLU (1918-1920)
In 1918, a strain of influenza known as Spanish flu caused a global pandemic, spreading rapidly and killing indiscriminately.People of various ages and health conditions contracted the disease, and at least 10% of patients died. From the South Pacific to the North Pole, the Spanish Flu is thought to have killed 500 million people. One-fifth of them passed away, pushing certain native groups to the point of extinction. The close quarters of soldiers and the subpar diet of many civilians during World War I contributed to the flu's spread and deadly effects.
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The disease started with an aching head and exhaustion, then came a dry, hacking cough, loss of appetite, stomach issues, and then, on the second day, excessive sweating. After that, pneumonia could occur if the infection affects the respiratory system. The most common causes of mortality were frequently pneumonia or other respiratory issues brought on by the flu.Many doctors advised people to avoid crowded areas or just other people because they were at a loss for what to advise to their patients. Other proposed treatments included consuming cinnamon, alcohol, or even Oxo's meat beverage (beef broth). Additionally, doctors advised patients to cover their mouths and noses in public. Aspirin use was once cited as a contributing factor to the epidemic, even though it may have actually benefited individuals who were ill.