Author: wilburnta18

After studying epidemics of deadly infectious diseases that have plagued humanity for our entire history, I have learned quite a bit about society and the acceptance of science. I have observed one underlying theme that influences every epidemic that we have studied: most people are ignorant and close-minded concerning science or scientific advancements. Whether this ignorance is attributed to religion, a lack of education, or simply the fear of new information, this underlying and fundamental problem with our societies has caused the deaths of millions of people. From victims of smallpox that were dissuaded from protection by anti-variolation activists to … Continue reading Final Reflective Essay

HIV originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1920. It is believed that a similar virus (called Simian Immunodeficiency Virus or SIV) crossed from chimpanzees to humans via blood contact or consumption. It is a common practice in these regions to eat animals killed in the jungle (called “bushmeat”) which can spread a variety of dangerous diseases (including Ebola). Regardless of its source, its transmission through sexual intercourse and lack of defining symptoms allowed it to spread almost entirely unnoticed for decades. The virus remained largely undetected until the 1980s, at which point it was noticed that small groups … Continue reading HIV

Cholera is a waterborne disease that causes severe dehydration through extreme diarrhea and vomiting. This level of dehydration can often kill cholera victims within one day of being infected. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, living without access to clean drinking water, lack of understanding about disease, and vectors carrying the contagion to food have all been factors that allowed cholera to infect and kill millions of people worldwide. Recently, the El Tor biotype has produced victims with mild symptoms who are more likely to travel and has increased cholera’s ability to spread to other countries. The countries that are at the greatest … Continue reading Artifact 7: Cholera

The potato was the staple food of Ireland, and arrived from South America during the 16th century. It contained vitamins fiber and carbohydrates which allowed this one plant to feed an entire country. Additionally, it was well-suited to Ireland’s damp climate and a large amount of people could be fed on an extremely small amount of land. This combination of factors caused a population explosion, however the population was very much dependent on the potato crop. In fact, the average consumption was fourteen pounds of potatoes a day. The dependence of the impoverished Irish population on the potato caused it … Continue reading Artifact 5: Irish Potato Blight

Smallpox has been described as one of the most devastating diseases in human history because of its ease of transmission and fatality combined with its disfiguring symptoms. The disease is very easy to transmit because it is contagious before it is symptomatic. Therefore, people can spread the disease before they realize that they have it. This allowed the disease to infect entire populations and made it seem almost inescapable. Living during a small pox epidemic was very much a game of chance. Exposure to the disease was practically certain, and for much of the time that the disease was active the … Continue reading Artifact 4: Smallpox and Vaccines

When dealing with a disease that is debilitating or potentially fatal, the rights of the population must take precedence over the rights of the individual while preserving the rights of the individual whenever possible. For example, individuals should be allowed to choose whether or not to get vaccinated, but those who choose not to get vaccinated should be prevented from attending public schools where they may spread diseases to those who cannot be vaccinated. In this situation, the individual right to not be vaccinated is protected while the population’s right to not be infected with a preventable disease takes priority. … Continue reading Artifact 3: Ethics and Infectious Diseases

Historically, the plague has spread to other civilizations through warfare and trade. The massive death toll and speed with which the disease kills caused widespread panic and an irrational, violent response against specific groups of people. Relatively recently, the plague reached the U.S. in a similar way and was treated with much of the same fear and irrational paranoia. Thankfully improved scientific understanding of the disease has led to a realistic solution that is directed against another species rather than an ethnic group, however many countries still face this disease in their daily lives. Continuing progress in these countries will … Continue reading Artifact 2: The History and Re-emergence of Plague, and the Evolution of Plague Response

  The Agricultural Revolution drastically changed the way that humans interact with each other and the environment, and caused infectious diseases to have a much more profound impact on our population. A combination of human, animal, and environmental factors (the interaction of which is called the “One Health” concept) created more suitable environments for infectious diseases while the steady globalization of societies has brought existing diseases to new hosts with little or no immunity. This diaspora of plagues has directly affected the development of the human race, and diseases have killed on a global scale on multiple occasions. Ironically, the … Continue reading Artifact 1: Historical Plague Factors and the Effects of Globalization on Infectious Diseases

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