Results tagged “Disease” from HAWT action [hot ak-shuhn]
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or
Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of
a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives
by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
December 30, 2008, Mariana Brindi da Costa required treatment for abdominal pain. She was incorrectly diagnosed with kidney stones. By January 3, she was admitted to the hospital. When doctors finally diagnosed her urinary tract infection, she has septicemia (more commonly referred to as "blood disease"). Septicemia is a reaction to foreign particles in blood, causing inflammation across the body and choking off oxygen delivery to cells. In Brindi's case, it was a response to the bacteria from her urinary tract infection. The inflammation was so severe, it lead to necrosis, a condition where lack of oxygen leads to the death of healthy cells in the body.
Two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, Brindi required amputation of her two hands and two feet to keep the necrosis from spreading to her vital organs. She was kept in a forced coma.
It wasn't enough. The necrosis was spreading and doctors had to remove her kidneys and part of her stomach. On January 24th, less than a month from the initial hospital visit, Brindi passed away. Just a month before, she had been extremely healthy. In fact, she was a 20 years old Brazilian bikini model. This was Mariana Brindi da Costa.
That is the least offensive picture I could find of the condition...
Disease: Necrosis
Disease: Necrosis
First Record: Ancient Greece
Mortality Rate: Low, if caught early
Estimated Deaths: Unknown (at least I can't find), but infections are in the tens of millions a year
Main Method of Transfer: Not communicable
Form: Biological reaction to a variety of things (i.e., virus, bacteria, venom, mold)
Mortality Rate: Low, if caught early
Estimated Deaths: Unknown (at least I can't find), but infections are in the tens of millions a year
Main Method of Transfer: Not communicable
Form: Biological reaction to a variety of things (i.e., virus, bacteria, venom, mold)
December 30, 2008, Mariana Brindi da Costa required treatment for abdominal pain. She was incorrectly diagnosed with kidney stones. By January 3, she was admitted to the hospital. When doctors finally diagnosed her urinary tract infection, she has septicemia (more commonly referred to as "blood disease"). Septicemia is a reaction to foreign particles in blood, causing inflammation across the body and choking off oxygen delivery to cells. In Brindi's case, it was a response to the bacteria from her urinary tract infection. The inflammation was so severe, it lead to necrosis, a condition where lack of oxygen leads to the death of healthy cells in the body.
Two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, Brindi required amputation of her two hands and two feet to keep the necrosis from spreading to her vital organs. She was kept in a forced coma.
It wasn't enough. The necrosis was spreading and doctors had to remove her kidneys and part of her stomach. On January 24th, less than a month from the initial hospital visit, Brindi passed away. Just a month before, she had been extremely healthy. In fact, she was a 20 years old Brazilian bikini model. This was Mariana Brindi da Costa.
Continue reading Disease: Necrosis.
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or
Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of
a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives
by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
Hammurabi, leader of Babylon, famously identified 500 laws to govern his land. Dating back to 1760 B.C.E., the Hammurabi Code is still considered one of the great archaeological gems of ancient history. Lesser known? The governing Laws of Eshnunna, dating back to 1930 B.C.E. Eshnunna, which became the norther part of Hamurabbi's Babylonia, is believed to have inspired Hammurabi's 500.
The Eshnunna Code (physically discovered in Iraq in the 1940s) includes a term derived from the Sanskrit word "rabhas" or "to do violence." The word in the code? Rabies. The law? If a dog's owner sees rabies symptoms in his pet, the owner should take preventative measures (kill the animal). If the dog were to bite someone and infect them, the owner would be held liable.
Rabies goes way back, and it's always been know to be a killer.
Disease: Rabies
First Record: ~2000 B.C.E.
Mortality Rate: 100% once symptoms show
Estimated Deaths: ~55,000 annually
Main Method of Transfer: Saliva
Form: Virus
Mortality Rate: 100% once symptoms show
Estimated Deaths: ~55,000 annually
Main Method of Transfer: Saliva
Form: Virus
Hammurabi, leader of Babylon, famously identified 500 laws to govern his land. Dating back to 1760 B.C.E., the Hammurabi Code is still considered one of the great archaeological gems of ancient history. Lesser known? The governing Laws of Eshnunna, dating back to 1930 B.C.E. Eshnunna, which became the norther part of Hamurabbi's Babylonia, is believed to have inspired Hammurabi's 500.
The Eshnunna Code (physically discovered in Iraq in the 1940s) includes a term derived from the Sanskrit word "rabhas" or "to do violence." The word in the code? Rabies. The law? If a dog's owner sees rabies symptoms in his pet, the owner should take preventative measures (kill the animal). If the dog were to bite someone and infect them, the owner would be held liable.
Rabies goes way back, and it's always been know to be a killer.
Continue reading Disease: Rabies.
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or
Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of
a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives
by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
Influenza, known as the flu, is one of the biggest killers of man. Unlike other diseases that have had diminishing impact on mankind over time (i.e., polio, bubonic plague, tetanus), influenza is as prolific and (almost) as threatening as ever. Why? Because it comes in thousands of variants, it mutates very quickly and it is transferred through the air. See, if it's transferred via waterways, like cholera, or via fleas/rodents, like the bubonic plague, there are ways to fight the spread of an outbreak. But via air and body fluids? That's almost impossible. In fact, influenza's very symptoms are the reason it's been so successful. It's the perfectly evolved disease.
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Disease: Influenza (Flu)
Disease: Influenza (Flu)
First Record: 4th century B.C.E.
Mortality Rate: <1%
Estimated Deaths: Unknown historically, but I estimate over 130 million
Main Method of Transfer: Bodily fluids and airborne
Form: Virus
Mortality Rate: <1%
Estimated Deaths: Unknown historically, but I estimate over 130 million
Main Method of Transfer: Bodily fluids and airborne
Form: Virus
Influenza, known as the flu, is one of the biggest killers of man. Unlike other diseases that have had diminishing impact on mankind over time (i.e., polio, bubonic plague, tetanus), influenza is as prolific and (almost) as threatening as ever. Why? Because it comes in thousands of variants, it mutates very quickly and it is transferred through the air. See, if it's transferred via waterways, like cholera, or via fleas/rodents, like the bubonic plague, there are ways to fight the spread of an outbreak. But via air and body fluids? That's almost impossible. In fact, influenza's very symptoms are the reason it's been so successful. It's the perfectly evolved disease.
Continue reading Disease: Influenza.
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or
Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of
a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives
by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
Cholera was first linked to the Ganges River in India, with records of the disease going back to the 2-3rd century C.E. Since then, it has hit the world with an amazing amount of pandemics and has evolved into a "poor" disease, since common water treatment systems kill the source. But the world is not always lucky enough to have these basic levels of hygiene--not currently and certainly not in the past. In fact, like every disease, it originally spread because we didn't even understand what a bacterium or a virus was. Getting the disease taught you your lesson very quickly. If Vibrio cholerae takes hold without treatment, the patient can die with one of the fastest acting diseases in the world.
Disease: Cholera
First Record: 2-3rd century C.E.
Mortality Rate: 1-2%
Estimated Deaths: Unknown historically, but I estimate over 1,500,000 [currently 98% of deaths are in Africa]
Main Method of Transfer: Tainted drinking water or food
Form: Bacteria
Mortality Rate: 1-2%
Estimated Deaths: Unknown historically, but I estimate over 1,500,000 [currently 98% of deaths are in Africa]
Main Method of Transfer: Tainted drinking water or food
Form: Bacteria
Cholera was first linked to the Ganges River in India, with records of the disease going back to the 2-3rd century C.E. Since then, it has hit the world with an amazing amount of pandemics and has evolved into a "poor" disease, since common water treatment systems kill the source. But the world is not always lucky enough to have these basic levels of hygiene--not currently and certainly not in the past. In fact, like every disease, it originally spread because we didn't even understand what a bacterium or a virus was. Getting the disease taught you your lesson very quickly. If Vibrio cholerae takes hold without treatment, the patient can die with one of the fastest acting diseases in the world.
Continue reading Disease: Cholera.
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or
Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of
a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives
by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
The first documentation of tetanus dates back to the 5th century B.C.E. by Hippocrates. (Man, those guys were productive back then. Everywhere you turn it's Socrates, Hippocrates, Confucius, Jesus...) You were probably vaccinated as a child for tetanus, but few people know that you need to be vaccinated throughout your life, every ten years as an adult. After this post, you might want to make an appointment with a doctor.
Tetanus is caused by a bacterium that lives in soil, saliva, dust and manure (like anthrax). The most common method of infection is a puncture the skin with a sharp object (usually a rusty piece of metal). Once tetanus gets in the body, though? Some crazy stuff goes down.
Disease: Tetanus
First Record: 500 B.C.E.
Mortality Rate: ~10-20%
Estimated Deaths: Not known, but currently 300,000-500,000 die annually
Main Method of Transfer: Dirt Through an Open Wound
Form: Bacteria
First Record: 500 B.C.E.
Mortality Rate: ~10-20%
Estimated Deaths: Not known, but currently 300,000-500,000 die annually
Main Method of Transfer: Dirt Through an Open Wound
Form: Bacteria
The first documentation of tetanus dates back to the 5th century B.C.E. by Hippocrates. (Man, those guys were productive back then. Everywhere you turn it's Socrates, Hippocrates, Confucius, Jesus...) You were probably vaccinated as a child for tetanus, but few people know that you need to be vaccinated throughout your life, every ten years as an adult. After this post, you might want to make an appointment with a doctor.
Tetanus is caused by a bacterium that lives in soil, saliva, dust and manure (like anthrax). The most common method of infection is a puncture the skin with a sharp object (usually a rusty piece of metal). Once tetanus gets in the body, though? Some crazy stuff goes down.
Continue reading Disease: Tetanus (Lockjaw).
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or
Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of
a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives
by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
The first documentation of the Bubonic Plague is believe to be from 1,100 B.C.E. That's a long time ago... the world was like 900 years old. The plague had its first major impact on mankind during the First Pandemic, called the Plague of Justinian, in 542 C.E. It is believed to have started in Ethiopia, using Constantinople as its gateway to Europe and taking 25 million lives. 40% of Constantinople's population is believed to have been killed, along with 25% of Europe's. Ay yay.
The Second Pandemic, referred to as the Black Plague, started in Central Asia and spread through Europe, Africa and Asia in the 14th century. Because cities were more crowded and populous, and because there was wide-spread trade at the time, the plague was that much more deadly, killing an estimated 75-100 million: 1/2 of China's population, 1/3 of Europe's and 1/8 of Africa's. Double ay yay.
What is this disease? How does it spread? Is it still around? Wha?
Disease: Bubonic Plague
First Record: 1,100 B.C.E.
Mortality Rate: ~30-75%
Estimated Deaths: ~140-200 million
Main Method of Transfer: Blood via fleas
Form: Bacteria
First Record: 1,100 B.C.E.
Mortality Rate: ~30-75%
Estimated Deaths: ~140-200 million
Main Method of Transfer: Blood via fleas
Form: Bacteria
The first documentation of the Bubonic Plague is believe to be from 1,100 B.C.E. That's a long time ago... the world was like 900 years old. The plague had its first major impact on mankind during the First Pandemic, called the Plague of Justinian, in 542 C.E. It is believed to have started in Ethiopia, using Constantinople as its gateway to Europe and taking 25 million lives. 40% of Constantinople's population is believed to have been killed, along with 25% of Europe's. Ay yay.
The Second Pandemic, referred to as the Black Plague, started in Central Asia and spread through Europe, Africa and Asia in the 14th century. Because cities were more crowded and populous, and because there was wide-spread trade at the time, the plague was that much more deadly, killing an estimated 75-100 million: 1/2 of China's population, 1/3 of Europe's and 1/8 of Africa's. Double ay yay.
What is this disease? How does it spread? Is it still around? Wha?
Continue reading Disease: Bubonic Plague.
Humans will always battle diseases. Whether the common cold or Ebola, diseases have caused everything from headaches to the decimation of a populations. I will pay homage to their daily influence on our lives by exploring them in this series. Check out how fascinating they are.
There is a fantastic book by Jared Diamond called Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies that explains human history through "guns, germs and steel." What struck with me most from the book is how important "germs" have been in shaping our world. For example, Diamond asks, what if it was the Native Americans that carried a "germ" the Europeans were susceptible to? That thought still creeps up on me years after reading this book. What if the explorers had brought a deadly disease back home with them? What if that disease was so deadly Europeaners cut back on their exploration, even considering the New World so toxic, it should not be touched. You can instantly imagine how that would have changed the development of... almost everything in the past 500 years. Instead, Europe flooded into the New World without that barrier to stop them.
There is a fantastic book by Jared Diamond called Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies that explains human history through "guns, germs and steel." What struck with me most from the book is how important "germs" have been in shaping our world. For example, Diamond asks, what if it was the Native Americans that carried a "germ" the Europeans were susceptible to? That thought still creeps up on me years after reading this book. What if the explorers had brought a deadly disease back home with them? What if that disease was so deadly Europeaners cut back on their exploration, even considering the New World so toxic, it should not be touched. You can instantly imagine how that would have changed the development of... almost everything in the past 500 years. Instead, Europe flooded into the New World without that barrier to stop them.
Continue reading Disease: Introduction to the Series.
