Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Eradication of infectious diseases wikipedia , lookup
Neglected tropical diseases wikipedia , lookup
Sexually transmitted infection wikipedia , lookup
History of biological warfare wikipedia , lookup
Yersinia pestis wikipedia , lookup
Plague (disease) wikipedia , lookup
Great Plague of London wikipedia , lookup
Black Death wikipedia , lookup
Infectious Diseases in the Ancient & Medieval World Basic Concepts Infectious diseases are a major cause of human mortality Up until late 19th century, infections kills the majority of people In developed countries today, 4% of mortality attributed to infections – Not including STIs and AIDS Defined as a disease that can be passed from one person to another Basic modes of transmission – Direct contact – Indirect contact Incidence – Endemic – Epidemic – Pandemic Limits to our Current Knowledge Do not know exactly what diseases were experienced – No dedicated data gathering strategies – Confusing descriptions Evident they understood epidemics & non-epidemics Typical explanations: – Gods – Demons – Corruption of the air – Imbalance of individual constitutions Hippocratic emphasis on individual predisposition created a particular perspective Galen silent on contagion Religious beliefs created other perspective – Job & divine punishment Leprosy Primary exemplar of divine punishment Disease resembling leprosy mentioned in old & new testaments Caused by Mycobacterium Leprae Causes considerable disfigurement of facial features & skeleton Uncertain if biblical accounts believed to be about leprosy were in fact that disease Skeletal evidence for presence in Europe by 6th century, but not before Leper was social & religious outcast Associated with lust and sexual misconduct Leviticus 13: 1-8 – “unclean, unclean” Segregation society from mainstream Rise of lazarettos by 7th century Height of incidence in 14th century Smallpox Viral infection caused by variola major Case fatality rate 20-40% if untreated Spread by – Direct contact – Indirect contact Antonine plague (Rome) believed to be smallpox Imported by troops returning from Mesopotamia ¼ to 1/3 of population died Consequences – Civil disorder – Population decline – Decreased tax revenues – Military unrest Plague Caused by Yersinia pestus Zoonosis Transmitted by bite of flea which lives on rats Originated in Himalayan border between India & China 1. Three forms Bubonic 1. 50-60% fatality rate 2. Septicemic 1. 100% fatality rate 3. Pnemonic 1. 100% fatality rate Plague of Justinian 1st known outbreak in Europe Centred around Constantinople 542-543 CE Believed to be imported from Egypt on trade ships Social Impact Estimated 10,000 people/day died Killed 40% of population of city Estimated 100 million people died in empire Overwhelmed capacity to deal with bodies Beginning of Dark Ages Political Impact – Ended Justinian’s efforts to reunite Rome & Constantinople – Rise of the Islamic Empire – Decline of Mediterranean as centre of Western civilization Medical Impact – Physicians had little to offer The Black Death After 6th – 8th century, plague disappeared in Europe for about 700 years Re-appeared in 1347 Probably originated in China Moved to Central Asia Broke out in Crimea amongst Tartar troops fighting the Italians Taken to Mediterranean From there, spread to rest of Europe Within 2 years, killed 25-30% of population of Europe Plague re-appeared regularly for next 4 centuries Great Plague of London (1665) After this plague disappeared from N. Europe Marseilles 1720-21 last major outbreak in Europe Social Impact Flight Violence Scapegoating Decline in authority of Church Changes in personal practices “A more troubled age” Medical Responses Still had little to offer Individual focus Typical therapies – Diet – Herbs – Fumigation Still focussed on miasma, corruption of air Astronomy No power to enact public health reglations Political Responses Institutionalization measures – Quarantine – Regulations – Bills of Mortality of public health Population Decline – Recovery of population took over a century – Laws re: agricultural workers – Threats to food security – Higher wages – Possibly de-stabilized feudalism Decline in Spain’s Imperial power So . . . What in general can we say about the impact of infectious diseases on Europe?