'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAArEDCf//EACMQAAEEAQEJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECBAURAAMGEhMjQUJDYYH/2gAIAQEAAT8Aau45WzLbUaBAbcKylWmbrdFBP0dckXcCZB1yPKrs95//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAECAQE/AH//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAEDAQE/AH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
There are a few diseases from the medieval ages that have been completely done away with. However, there are still a handful that can be regarded as potential hazards.
One of the very few medieval diseases that have been completely eradicated is smallpox. The dreadfully contagious disease, which is believed to have existed for around 3000 years, plagued and killed millions before it finally ceased to exist in 1980.
Another disease that unleashed quite the terror during the medieval ages but does not exist anymore is Phossy Jaw or phosphorus necrosis of the jaw. Unlike smallpox, this wasn't caused due to a virus, but as a result of human action.
Trending
Both of these diseases have been eliminated with the help of careful human intervention. In the case of smallpox, mass immunization and awareness played a key role in its complete erasure. On the other hand, Phossy Jaw was removed from existence with the help of strict health and safety protocols in the factories.
With that being said, here are eight medieval diseases that can be assumed to be making a slow comeback:
8 medieval diseases that are making a slow comeback
1) Bubonic Plague
Bubonic plague, the medieval disease conveniently titled "Black Death," is not as much a concept of the past as many would like to believe. The deadly disease that is caused by the bite of a rodent flea or as a result of being exposed to them has apparently made a comeback in a few places, including the likes of California, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Speaking about the plague and the risks associated with global warming, Dr Anna Popova, Russia's top doctor, told the Mirror:
"We do see that the borders of plague hotspots have been changing with global warming and climate change, and other anthropogenic effects on the environment. We are aware that cases of plague in the world have been growing."
Although there is proper medication available for the same, if not treated at the right time, it can be deadly.
2) Leprosy
The highly contagious disease caused by an infection due to the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae, primarily affects the skin, eyes, peripheral nerves, and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract. The disease is still very much prevalent in the 21st century.
Although cases of leprosy have substantially decreased over the years, there still remains a huge chunk of the population affected by it. As of 2013, there were still 216,000 cases of leprosy. More than 80% of these cases have been reported from parts of India, Indonesia, and Brazil, where it is still considered to be a huge problem that needs to be tackled.
3) Whooping cough
Post-1940, cases of whopping cough substantially decreased due to widespread vaccination by about 80%. However, this highly communicable respiratory tract infection seems to have made a comeback and is here to stay.
In 2008, it was reported that almost 195,000 children had lost their lives to whooping cough, with 16 million people affected worldwide. In 2010, California recorded 1,500 cases of whooping cough and 10 deaths due to the same, putting an end to the dry spell in about 60 years.
4) Tuberculosis
The disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still in existence in the 21st century, and from the looks of it, it seems like it is here to stay. Tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs of a person, killed around 1.6 million people in 2021, while 10.6 million people suffered from it.
Titled "White Plague," tuberculosis is the 13th leading cause of death worldwide and the second leading cause of death due to infection, preceded only by COVID-19.
Although TB can be prevented and cured, delays in diagnosis and the absence of proper treatment can sometimes result in death. This happens particularly among individuals whose immune systems are compromised.
5) Rubella
Rubella still continues to plague countries that have poorer immunization protocols against the same. In places like Africa and Southeast Asia, approximately 110,000 babies are born each year with symptoms of congenital rubella syndrome. The disease manifests in the form of a rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever.
The virus that passes on from unvaccinated mothers to their children while they are in their wombs can cause serious defects in them, sometimes even leading to death.
6) Mumps
Cases of mumps are still very common in countries that have not been widely vaccinated against the same. However, the numbers seem to have fallen considerably since the first time it appeared.
As of 2023, the CDC has reported a total of 291 cases of mumps in the US.
The illness primarily affects the glands on each side of the face and may cause swelling and pain in the jaw as well as the cheek in front of the ears. It may also cause symptoms such as tiredness, fever, and headache, and in some extreme cases, it can also cause swelling in the brain.
7) Polio
As it seems, this medieval disease caused by poliovirus has not been completely wiped out. Polio continues to plague nations where there is a lack of awareness about it. One of the primary ways of containing the disease is by vaccinating individuals against it when they are very young; however, sometimes immunization might be skipped among certain populations.
Besides that, it is also extremely difficult to detect the symptoms of the disease, due to which treatment for the same can get delayed, leading to grave consequences.
8) Scurvy
Scurvy may not be as fatal as the other medieval diseases listed above, but that does not mean that it isn't a cause for worry. The disease, caused by abnormally low levels of vitamin C in the body, can make your gums bleed and your teeth fall out.
Vitamin C deficiency, which is the prime cause of scurvy, affects 7.1% of the U.S. population; however, the chances of developing the same are very narrow. In general, the older generations are more susceptible to this disease as compared to the younger ones.
Listed above are eight medieval diseases that are still very much in prominence in the 21st century. Widespread immunization, medication, and awareness have helped to control these diseases to some extent over the years, but it will take some time to eradicate them altogether.
