16 of History's Deadly Diseases That Were In Decline And Are Now Making A Comeback

1. Responsible for approximately 200 million deaths between 1855 and 2005, in addition to devastating the Inca civilization, measles had been eradicated in the United States before opposition to vaccinations permitted a fatal resurgence

Lasting for between seven to ten days, the measles virus typically inflicts upon its victims an intense fever, inflammation of the eyes, and painful spots and rashes. Extreme cases of measles can also lead to diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, blindness, and even seizures. An airborne disease spreads via the coughs and sneezes of infected persons, it is rare, but not impossible for an individual who has already contracted the condition to contract it again. Once infected, there is no curative or specific treatment for measles, but supportive care, including re-hydration and antibiotics, can improve prognoses.

First emerging some time after 500 CE, a susceptible population of approximately 500,000 is required to sustain the measles virus. Consequently, after the discovery of a vaccine in 1963 a concerted effort to immunize populations began to eradicate the disease. Initially successful in this goal, measles was declared extinct in the United States by the turn of the millennium. However, due to opposition to vaccinations in contemporary America, measles has been allowed the opportunity to return. In 2014, at least 667 individuals across 14 states were freshly diagnosed with measles, whilst in 2016 a fresh epidemic begun in Arizona after 22 cases were confirmed.

Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

“20 of History’s Most Devastating Plagues and Epidemics”, Steve, History Collection, March 1, 2019

“The Death of a Disease: A History of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis”, Mary M. Shaffer and Bernard Seytre, Rutgers University Press (2005)

“Polio and its aftermath: the paralysis of culture”, Marc Shell, Harvard University Press (2005)

“Scarlet fever, a disease of yore, is making a comeback in parts of the world”, Helen Branswell, Statnews (November 27, 2017)

“Resurgence of scarlet fever in England, 2014-16: a population-based surveillance study”, Theresa Lamagni, Rebecca Guy, Meera Chand, Katherine L. Henderson, Victoria Chalker and James Lewis, The Lancet (February 1, 2018)

“The identity of the New England Indian epidemic of 1616-19”, T.L. Bratton, Bulletin of the History of Medicine (1988)

“A brief history of epidemic and pestilential diseases”, N. Webster, Hudson and Goodwin (1799)

“Rubella and congenital disformities”, C. Wesselhoeft, New England Journal of Medicine (1949)

“Rubella Has Been Eliminated From the Americas, Health Officials Say”, Donald G. McNeil Jr., The New York Times (April 29, 2015)

“Leprosy, Racism, and Public Health”, Zachary Gussow, Westview Press (1989)

“Leprosy in wild armadillos”, Richard Truman, Leprosy Review (2005)