Ebola continues to spread to different parts of Africa as the world looks on. Every year there seems to be a new disease or health crisis to worry about. But, people forget that there are many diseases out there that may not by as widespread as this recent outbreak, but are no less deadly. (Not to mention, the flu alone kills many people every year.)
Thankfully, due to medical advances, the United States doesn’t have to worry about most of the diseases. The rest of the world does, though. Here are some of the most horrible diseases we are still plagued with today.
1. Tuberculosis.
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Scientists believe tuberculosis has been around since the time of the Egyptians. Even today it is estimated that one third of the Earth’s population is infected with this disease of the lungs. Symptoms include chronic coughing, bloody mucus and extreme fever.
2. Plague.
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Yes, this is indeed THE “plague” that your history textbooks taught you about, but did you know that it’s back? There are still outbreaks in different areas of the world. Symptoms to this medieval throw-back are lymph-nodes in various places in the body and, you know, death.
3. Measles.
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Measles is so contagious that if you are in the same room as someone with measles, you are 90% likely to get it yourself. A vaccine was introduced that can easily destroy measles, but a recent misguided mini-movement has formed claiming that vaccines cause autism in children, so the fear of mass infection is increasing. Symptoms of measles include fever, spotty rashes all over the body, and red eyes.
4. Leptospirosis.
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You may not have heard of leptosirosis, but to this day anywhere from seven to ten people are infected by this deadly disease per year. Symptoms include headache, fever and murderous bleeding from the lungs.
5. Typhoid.
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This disease is actually quite common to this day in some countries where poor hygienic practices feces is ingested along with food. Symptoms include severe fever and diarrhea.
6. Dengue Fever.
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Almost exclusively caused by tropical mosquito bite, this disease’s symptoms are similar to measles: fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a really bad skin rash.
Although one man has died of ebola in the United States, we need to remember how many other deadly diseases are out there in the world. They have always been there and we can survive. You might just want to wash your hands a little more often.
