In 1999, a deadly strain of West Nile virus struck parts of the northeastern United States. Caused by a virus from the family Flaviridae, genus Flavivirus, the disease was common in Africa and the Middle East. Today, it can be found across North America, Europe, and Asia. West Nile can cause serious illness, and in severe cases, lead to encephalitis, a swelling of the brain, which can be fatal.
Effective antibiotics are available to treat tuberculosis, yet 2 billion people worldwide are infected and statistics indicate that 8 million more will become infected in the next 12 months. In fact, 2 or 3 million people will likely die from the disease each year. This title looks at the past, present, and future challenges of a disease that has plagued mankind since antiquity.
Caused by a virus that is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, yellow fever gets its name for the jaundice it causes its victims. This hemorrhagic illness has plagued humans throughout history, and before the development of a yellow fever vaccine, the mortality rate from this disease was high. Tropical nations now prevent epidemic yellow fever levels through vaccination, and travelers to these areas are advised to take precautions. "Yellow Fever" explores both the historical and epidemiological aspects of this disease.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (Deadly Diseases and Epidemics)
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a sexually transmitted disease seen in women, and is usually caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia. PID most often occurs in adolescent and young women, and can be a silent infection that may go undetected for years. Undiagnosed and untreated, PID leads to many potentially severe and devastating health consequences in women of reproductive age, including infertility.
First recorded in Europe in the late 1400s, syphilis quickly spread throughout the world. A disease that slowly kills its victims, syphilis allows them enough time to spread it to others. It was not until the 19th century that syphilis was realized to be a sexually transmitted disease. Because syphilis was poorly understood, it became the subject of many myths and misconceptions, and people who suffered from the disease were often stigmatized.
