The Bubonic Plague and AIDS: A Comparison
The Bubonic Plague and the AIDS pandemic, although centuries apart, when examined are found to have some similarities. For example, both diseases originated in Central Asia or Central Africa, and both diseases were initially spread by fleas or rats. Furthermore, both diseases had an impact on Europe and the United States, and both diseases caused a lot of panic and hysteria. Finally, both diseases continue to cause death and suffering today.
What is the Bubonic Plague?
The Bubonic Plague is a disease that is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis. This disease is also known as the Black Death because it causes large black swellings on the body called buboes. The Bubonic Plague was first recorded in China in 1334, but it is thought to have originated in Central Asia or Central Africa.
The Bubonic Plague spread to Europe in 1347, most likely through trade routes from China. Once in Europe, the disease spread quickly because of the close living conditions and lack of medical knowledge at the time. The plague reached England in 1348 and killed up to 60% of the population in some areas. In total, it is estimated that the Bubonic Plague killed 25 million people in Europe between 1347 and 1351.
The Bubonic Plague also reached the Americas in the late 1600s. It is thought that the disease was brought over by rats on ships from Europe. The first outbreak of the plague in the Americas occurred in Los Angeles, California in 1924-1925. There have been sporadic outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague in the United States since then, but fortunately, modern medicine has prevented these outbreaks from becoming widespread.
What is AIDS?
AIDS is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV attacks an individual’s immune system, which makes them susceptible to other infections and illnesses, which can lead to AIDS. AIDS was first identified in 1981 when a group of gay men in New York City started getting sick with rare illnesses such as Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Pneumocystis pneumonia.
It is thought that AIDS originated in Central Africa where humans contracted the HIV virus from chimpanzees. The virus then spread to other parts of Africa through things like blood transfusions and unprotected sex. In 1980, there was a small outbreak of AIDS among gay men in New York City, and then it quickly spread to other major cities in the United States such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. By 1982, AIDS had spread to Europe and Australia.
Compared to other pandemics, AIDS has been relatively slow to spread. However, it has still had a significant impact on society. It is estimated that HIV has infected 75 million people worldwide since 1981 and has killed 35 million people since 1985. In 2017 alone, HIV infected 1.8 million people and killed 940,000 people around the world.
How did the Bubonic Plague and AIDS Spread?
The Bubonic Plague and AIDS share some similarities in how they Spread: for example, both originated in Central Asia or Central Africa before spreading to other parts of the world; both were initially spread by fleas or rats; both had an impact on Europe as well as North America; both caused a lot of panic and hysteria; finally –and tragically –both diseases continue to cause death and suffering today. While there are similarities in how the two diseases spread, there are also some key differences.
The Bubonic Plague was initially spread by fleas or rats. These animals would bite people and then infect them with the Yersinia pestis bacteria. The Bubonic Plague then spread quickly through Europe because of the close living conditions at the time. People would live in close quarters, and if one person became infected, it was likely that others would become infected as well. There was also a lack of medical knowledge at the time, which made it difficult to treat the disease.
In contrast, AIDS was initially spread through blood transfusions and unprotected sex. HIV would enter the bloodstream through these activities and then attack an individual’s immune system. AIDS then spread quickly through communities of gay men in New York City and other major cities in the United States. It is thought that AIDS spreads more slowly than other diseases because it can take years for an individual to develop symptoms of AIDS after they have been infected with HIV.
Conclusion
The Bubonic Plague and AIDS are two pandemics that have caused death and suffering around the world. Although they originated centuries apart, when examined closely, they share some similarities. Both diseases originated in Central Asia or Central Africa, and both were initially spread by fleas or rats. Furthermore, both had an impact on Europe and the United States, and both caused a lot of panic and hysteria. Finally, both diseases continue to cause death and suffering today.