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Of all the organisms that exist on the planet, pathogens have the largest coverage area and abundance, including bacteria, bacilli and, of course, viruses invisible to the human eye. The latter are the causative agents of diseases that differ in symptoms, nature of the course and severity.
It is quite difficult to identify the most dangerous virus for humans, since different approaches to analysis must be applied. For example, there are pathogens that change the overall mortality rate of the population. Others lead to the death of already infected people. Still others kill the owner faster than he manages to distribute them to other people. For example, with a mortality rate of up to 3%, the Ebola virus and the Spanish flu pandemic have killed more than 100 million people. And there is also a historical approach to assessing the harmfulness of the virus. It demonstrates which microorganism has killed the most people throughout human history.
We offer you a list of the 10 most dangerous viruses on the planet that annually claim hundreds and thousands of human lives. Let’s add some statistics and figures, as well as data on the characteristic symptoms for a viral disease of one type or another.
10 Arboviruses of the Flaviviridae family
These dangerous pathogens cause a specific disease – dengue fever. The patient is concerned about acute pain in the musculoskeletal system (joints, especially knees, spine). The patient also notes hyperthermia, severe fever and fever, nausea and vomiting. Often there is an itchy rash on the body. It is known that if the disease becomes severe, then in half of the cases it ends in death. You can pick up an arbovirus through an insect bite (tick, mosquito, etc.). Before traveling to the area of the spread of the virus, take care of preventive vaccinations and other personal protection methods.
9. Flu virus
In the modern world, the “common cold” does not cause people to panic, as it is easily treatable. Simply put, human immunity is resistant to many strains of respiratory infections. But few people know that there are more than 2 thousand variants of the virus in the world, which are classified according to serotypes (B, A, C) and strains. Serotype A is life-threatening, as it causes massive epidemics and even pandemics. Every year, up to half a million people die from a seasonal flu outbreak (most often preschoolers and the elderly). The virulent strain of the virus caused the so-called “Spanish flu”, which in 1918 struck about a third of the world’s population, killing about 100 million patients. At the same time, people with strong immunity were most at risk, which eventually provoked the so-called “cytokine storm”.
8. Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
A specific disease can be masked by symptoms for other pathologies, so a person may not suspect the presence of a virus in the body for a long time. So the disease gradually becomes chronic, which provokes liver failure and, as often happens, death. The virus takes about 350 thousand patients annually, and in developing countries. Relentless statistics says that there are 200 million carriers of this dangerous microorganism in the world. Unfortunately, the disease is not treatable, and an effective vaccine has not been developed. Infection with hepatitis C occurs through the blood, and the source is often medical and cosmetic instruments, unprotected sexual intercourse, and poor hygiene.
7. Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
This hepatitis virus leaves the patient a chance for recovery, but in 20-30% of cases it still progresses into a chronic form, causing cirrhosis or liver cancer. In a year, the “reaper” claims about 700 thousand human lives. Also, like the previous type of hepatitis virus, it provokes an asymptomatic disease that slowly attacks the liver for years. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children. Carriers of the virus may not suffer the consequences, but actively transmit it to others. The virus is characterized by resistance to temperature fluctuations. It is transmitted through blood drops in the household way, as well as through injections, tools, sharp instruments, sexual intercourse.
6. Rabies virus
Occurs in warm-blooded animals and is transmitted from them to humans. Causes rapid and irreversible damage to the central nervous system. The virus is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal during a bite. The temperature rises to subfebrile levels, the patient complains of sleep disturbances, attacks of aggression and hallucinations, paranoid delusions. Following is paralysis of the limbs and eye muscles, the respiratory system, which leads to death. Unfortunately, the symptoms of the disease appear already at the stage when the virus enters the brain and causes the degradation of nerve cells. Only a vaccine given as soon as possible after being bitten by a stray animal can save a life.
5. Rotavirus
It is a group of viruses that is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Causes attacks of acute diarrhea, dehydration and is observed mainly in young children. Despite the available methods of therapy, the disease takes away annually about 450 thousand preschoolers (mostly residents of underdeveloped countries). Rotavirus is a disease of “dirty hands”, so the best prevention is personal hygiene, especially after visiting public places.
4. Ebola virus
The microorganism causes hemorrhagic fever. It is transmitted through body fluids, infected tissues and blood. Accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature, muscle aches, lethargy, muscle cramps, migraine and sore throat. Nausea and vomiting, indigestion, skin rashes, kidney and liver dysfunction can also be observed. In severe form, external and internal hemorrhages are noted. The death rate from Ebola in 2015 was 42% of cases.
3. Variola virus
Surviving patients can be seen from afar – the skin is dotted with numerous scars. The first symptoms of “black pox” are high fever and a rash on the body (purulent blisters). With complications, headaches, vertigo, pain in the sacro-lumbar region, nausea and vomiting are noted. In the 20th century, the epidemic took about 300-500 million lives. The last case was registered in 1977. Climate change in recent years could lead to a return of the disease. By the way, the smallpox virus only infects humans.
2. Virus of the Flaviviridae family
The pathogen is carried by mosquitoes living in areas of South America and on the African continent. Once in the body, the virus causes “yellow fever”, which is accompanied by jaundice. Since the 80s, the spread of the disease has been increasing, which is explained by the deterioration of immunity in people and climate change. In a severe form of the disease, the liver cannot cope with the function and death occurs. Tourists visiting the above countries are advised to get vaccinated.
1. AIDS virus
It is considered the most dangerous virus that is transmitted through body fluids and blood. The most common reasons for the spread of HIV are unsterilized medical and cosmetic devices, drug addiction (reuse of syringes), promiscuity. The average life expectancy of an infected person without adequate therapy is 9-11 years.
These dangerous microorganisms are constantly next to us and threaten life. To prevent infection, get vaccinated in a timely manner, follow the rules of personal hygiene, use barrier methods of protection and avoid contact with infected people.