The worst epidemics and pandemics in history

PREHISTORIC EPIDEMIC- CIRCA

3000 B.C- About 5000 years ago, the epidemic wiped out a prehistoric village in China.







PLAGUE OF ATHENS

430 B.C - It affected Athens for 5 years. It is said that people in good health were all of a sudden attacked by heat in head and redness and inflammation in the eyes.

Death Toll- 100,000 people.

ANTONINE PLAGUE

165 AD- The Antonine Plague was an ancient pandemic that affected Asia, Egpyt, Italy, Greece, its true cause is still unknown. This disease first affected Rome soldiers and then further spread, killing over 5 million people.




PLAGUE OF JUSTINIAN

CAUSE- Bubonic plague

541 to 542- It is estimated that it killed half of the population of Europe. The city is affected most was Constantinople was at its height it was killing 5000 people per day, resulting in the death of 40% of the city population.

THE BLACK DEATH 

1346 to 1353 - It was originated in Asia, but it affected Europe, Africa, and Asia with an estimated death toll between 75 to 200 million people, it was spread by rats.

COCOLIZTLI EPIDEMIC

1545 to 1548 - The infection that causes the cocoliztli epidemic was a form of viral hemorrhagic fever that killed 15 million inhabitants of Mexico and Central America.

AMERICAN PLAGUES

16th Century - The American PLagues are clusters of Euroasian diseases brought to America by European explorers.

AMERICAN POLIO EPIDEMIC

1916- A Polio Epidemic that started in New York City caused 27,000 cases and 6000 deaths in the United States. The disease mainly affected children and leaves survivors with permanent disabilities.

SPANISH FLU 

Death Toll - 500 million 

1918 to 1920 - It did not start in Spain but people falsely believed that illness was specific to Spain and the name Spanish Flu stuck.