Top 10 Old-Timey Diseases That Are Coming Back

Back in the day, this sexually transmitted disease was BAD NEWS. We’re talking about open sores, crippling pain, and eventually, brain damage and death. Just ask iconic gangster Al Capone, who famously contracted syphilis and saw its effects worsen each year. Thankfully, with the discovery of penicillin, the world was handed a simple cure to this sexually-transmitted scourge - no need to think about worst case scenarios anymore. Unfortunately, syphilis not only continues to spread, but lso is actually on the rise again. Why? The culprit is likely poor sexual practices. It’s treatable, of course, but this old-timey disease will continue its comeback unless people actually get tested and treated.

Throughout history, the term “leper” has been used to denigrate outsiders. It came from the idea that people with leprosy were highly contagious, which, unfortunately for generations of isolated victims, is a gross exaggeration. Though the disease is transferred between humans, the infection rate remains relatively low. Nowadays, Multidrug Therapy is used to cure patients, but unfortunately, it remains an issue in many countries. Believe it or not, armadillos have been associated with spreading the disease in the United States. A spike in infection rates in Florida has forced many to acknowledge the condition’s relevancy in a 21st century world, and encouraged others to re-evaluate its history.

If you don’t live in a tropical climate, then this mosquito disease may not seem like an issue. But after World War II, Dengue Fever became much harder to ignore, as displaced people spread the disease, forcing the international community to invest in research and measures to control mosquito populations. Despite these efforts, Dengue Fever remains a timely problem, especially in Southeast Asia where children are at serious risk. This old-timey disease is highly infectious, but thankfully, is unlikely to be fatal if appropriate medical attention is given. Then again, as is so often the case, treatment can be hard to come by in impoverished areas.

In the 19th century, this intestinal disease was responsible for pandemics all over the world, claiming millions of lives in the process. Thankfully, a simple but effective treatment exists in the form of oral rehydration therapy. Unfortunately, the disease is contracted through contaminated water, which meansthat underdeveloped countries are at serious risk regardless, as evidenced by the 2010 outbreak in Haiti. For North Americans, cholera is indeed quite rare, yet it’s certainly not a disease that should be dismissed as irrelevant. With so many people on the move, cholera outbreaks persist and continue to spread. Considering it claims 28,000 to 130,000 lives per year, we can’t afford to take it lightly.

Whereas many associate “The Plague” with a bygone era, the “Bubonic Plague” continues to kill. Whether it’s through fleas or little animals, bacteria can easily spread from person to person, which is what ultimately caused the European “Black Death.” These days, immediate treatment prevents worst-case scenarios, but there are still around 1 to 17 cases per year in the United States alone, mostly in the western region. Affected individuals have flu-like symptoms, and Bubonic Plague can be fatal if not treated within the first 24 hours. As recently as 2014, an outbreak killed about 40 people In Madagascar, proving that it’s not just a historical anecdote - it’s a legitimate threat.

Whereas cholera targets the intestines, this old-timey disease mostly affects the lungs. Tuberculosis was officially identified in the early 19th century, and it became a common disease amongst the poor over the following 100 years. It’s one of those diseases that doesn’t have obvious symptoms, and it’s been estimated that approximately one-third of the world’s population is currently infected with latent TB. Nowadays, tuberculosis is most prevalent in Africa and Southeast Asia, with most American cases being reported in California and Texas.

This old-timey disease originates with the spread of infected fecal matter. While that concept may be a head-scratcher today, it made perfect sense in the early 20th century given the less than sanitary conditions across America. Because of extensive research and treatment, however, there’s now a literal Polio Hall of Fame, which honors the most influential scientists that helped combat the disease. Even so, the disease continues to affect the countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, which means that everyone’s at risk. Given the mass displacement of Nigerians within their own country, polio outbreaks are a timely, societal issue in West Africa.

Imagine coughing so hard, and so violently, that you break your own ribs. That’s more than just a cough – that’s a Whooping Cough. Fortunately, Leila Denmark began researching the flu-like disease in 1932, igniting decades of conversations about proper vaccines and side effects. The spread of Whooping Cough has been connected to wild animals, mainly gorillas, and it remains a serious issue in underdeveloped countries. Then again, it’s a common disease in the United States, too, with nearly 50,000 cases reported in 2012 alone. And so, Whooping Cough still poses a serious threat to young children.

In the early 20th century, this disease was a perpetual killer. At least until Gladys Henry Dick and her husband invented a test to identify those who were susceptible to contracting the rash-y disease. Despite these efforts, her proposed vaccine was ultimately a failure, which means that Scarlet Fever remains a very real threat, both in the U.S. and around the world. Today, it’s common amongst children, and outbreaks are still a yearly occurrence. In the United Kingdom, Scarlet Fever makes headlines year after year, and it’s a common disease all across Southeast Asia.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Rickets


Typhoid Fever


Diphtheria

While this contagious disease may not seem “old-timey,” it’s not quite what it used to be either. In the mid 20th century, Measles was a fatal problem for the world’s youth. Fortunately, a vaccination was developed in 1963, making parents a little less stressed about symptoms. In fact, it seemed to be gone forever by the year 2000, at least in America. Nowadays, the MMR vaccine is highly efficient, and is usually given alongside the vaccine for disease called the Mumps. But, Measles disease hasn’t gone away entirely, and an anti-vaccination movement has been linked to a resurgence of outbreaks. The 2017 European outbreak reminds that vaccinations are crucial, even if Measles may not seem like a serious threat.