Five Fevers and Plagues

Question 1

What endemic disease originates from a parasitic blood fluke?

Answer 1

Schistosomiasis

Question 2

Describe the transmission of Schistosomiasis.

Answer 2

Worm lives in freshwater snails in a symbiotic relationship- worm eggs are released into the water- humans touch water and eggs enter hair follicles, cuts, etc.- live in veins of humans- pass through stool

Question 3

What are the primary symptoms of Schistosomiasis?

Answer 3

Blood in urine, enlarged spleen and liver, and abdominal pain

Question 4

How did the Nile affect Ancient Egyptians in the perspective of Schistosomiasis?

Answer 4

The Nile was used for agriculture, fishing, papyrus, irrigation and bathing which all created optimal conditions for freshwater snails and thus, blood flukes

Question 5

What is the Fall of Jericho?

Answer 5

Biblical event of the destruction of the city of Jericho that was most likely caused by schistosomiasis

Question 6

What endemic disease was thought to be caused by “bad air” in marshy areas?

Answer 6

Malaria

Question 7

How is malaria transmitted?

Answer 7

Anopheles mosquito breeds in standing water- mosquito infected by a parasite- mosquito bites human and gives the parasite- infected liver cells- infected red blood cells- blood taken by a mosquito- mosquito infected

Question 8

What is the difference between Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax?

Answer 8

P. falciparum is more severe than P. vivax and was more of an issue for the Romans in the Pontine Marshes

Question 9

Who was Empedocles?

Answer 9

A Greek physician that saved people by draining their marsh

Question 10

What major conflict between Sparta and Athens occurred in 431-404 BCE?

Answer 10

Peloponnesian War

Question 11

Who was Thucydides?

Answer 11

An Athenian general and historian who documented the Peloponnesian War

Question 12

How did the Plague of Athens occur?

Answer 12

In 430 BCE, an epidemic was brought by ship to Piraeus from Egypt that raged two years and killed about 25% of the population of Athens. Suspected typhus

Question 13

What were the effects of the Plague of Athens?

Answer 13

Demoralized the people, weakened the army, and dragged out the war to the eventual defeat of Athens

Question 14

What organization came to Rome in 293 BCE to avert pestilence?

Answer 14

The Cult of Asclepius

Question 15

A major Roman event in 164 CE that caused the death of Marcus Aurelius?

Answer 15

Antonine Plague that killed about a third of the population and was most likely smallpox

Question 16

What term describes someone who has not been exposed to a disease before?

Answer 16

Immunologically naive

Question 17

What epidemic is described as “The First Plague”?

Answer 17

The Plague of Justinian

Question 18

Where did the Plague of Justinian come from?

Answer 18

Caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria in the foregut of the flea vector on rats. Spread through Byzantine Empire from China and Northeast India with rats from merchant ships

Question 19

What are the basic symptoms of the plague?

Answer 19

Normal fever and illness but develops into buboes in the lymphatic system and eventual death

Question 20

What is the name of the written account of the Plague of Justinian and who wrote it?

Answer 20

Secret History by Procopius

Question 21

What were the effects of the Plague of Justinian?

Answer 21

Approximately 25 million deaths, Emperor Justinian fell ill himself but survived, however, this led to much of his failures due to lack of government officials and law & order