FATAL BACTERIAL DISEASES DURING MIDDLE AGE

 1. Leprosy

Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection caused by `Bacillus mycobacterium leprae’ that damages nerves, skin, and bones. As this was highly contagious, the infected people were blotted out of the society to Leprosy colonies established mostly in islands for isolation. Fr. Damien and other missionaries lent their helping hand to the diseased people out there. Leprosy hospitals known as `Leprosaria’ were established during the middle ages to help with physical and spiritual care. Now there are some ways of treatments for leprosy.

2. Typhus

 Typhus is an acute infectious disease spread by `Pediculus humanus corporis’ or body louse. This occurred due to overcrowding and poor hygiene during the time of war and famine. Body lice live in warm clothes and disease was spread by their infected feces. These organisms were even able to enter the human body through small incisions, wounds, nose, and mouth. If a person gets this ailment fever, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, etc can occur. Also, there would be bright red spots on the skin surfaces and emission of disgusting odor from the body.

3. Cholera

Cholera is a fatal disease caused by the bacterium called ` Vibrio cholera’ and transmitted through water. Severe stomach pain, uncontrollable puking, and frantic diarrhea are its symptoms. The first wave spread from Asia and surged in 1817 whereas the second wave spread from Asia to North Africa, Europe, and America that ultimately led to the wiping out of half of the world population. The greatest impact of cholera was more evident in Asian pilgrimage centers and slums of Europe and North America.

4. Tuberculosis

 Tuberculosis which was declared as a global emergency by World Health Organisation was a chronic bacterial infection that slaughtered more people than any other disease. Through man and cattle, it can be easily transmitted thus affecting any tissue and organ. It was spread from one person to another through airborne droplets. The most common form of tuberculosis is `Pulmonary tuberculosis’ which destroys the lungs. The filthy slums provided the perfect environment for its vast outspread with symptoms like coughing up blood, night sweat, etc.

5. Typhoid

It was the French physician Pierre Louis who formed the term named `typhoid’ which means `like typhus’. Because typhoid resembles typhus by causing bright red rashes all over the body. By 1870, Typhoid began its revelry through a bacterium `Salmonella Typhi’ that can grow in areas of horrible sanitation and improper hygiene. This ailment was spread through contaminated food and water which causes high fever with abdominal pain, terrible headache, and rashes. If it is untreated it can be fatal for human existence. Now, there are antibiotics and vaccines for typhoid.

It is the advancement of medical science and technology that is leading to the eradication of all these deadly diseases.