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Some of my friends were talking about this today and touched on all your points, plus the fact that Africa is thought by many to be the place from where humans originated.
Some of my friends were talking about this today and touched on all your points, plus the fact that Africa is thought by many to be the place from where humans originated.
I have no other ideas, it seems to be a hot spot.
Ebola and AIDS, eating bush meat? Chimps and humans are linked so closely genetically, easier for a virus to jump species. But thinking about the "all" deadly diseases linked to Africa, as specified by the OP, Black Plague (I think?) was European in origin, correct?
Ebola and AIDS, eating bush meat? Chimps and humans are linked so closely genetically, easier for a virus to jump species. But thinking about the "all" deadly diseases linked to Africa, as specified by the OP, Black Plague (I think?) was European in origin, correct?
Black plague entered Europe from the Mediterranean regions. Beyond that, no one knows where it really originated. And it may never have originated - to an extent.
Some of my friends were talking about this today and touched on all your points, plus the fact that Africa is thought by many to be the place from where humans originated.
I have no other ideas, it seems to be a hot spot.
They don't all come from Africa. Its' just that Africa has both a climate which is fertile for disease AND is the least developed area of the world AND health backwardness. Thus the worst and most prolonged outbreaks of really bad viruses usually come from there, as they become worthy of publication and global attention. Lassa fever is another baddie. Laughing sickness. Sleeping sickness. Some of em you've probably never heard of. Asia has some really bad ones too, but they do a better job of containment and prevention. Malarial mosquitoes are the world's biggest killers. Africa/Asia have more problems with snakes than anything.
People take indoor plumbing and sewage treatment for granted in the developed world. But, you cut off the electricity and thus the water/sewage treatment for a few years in America.... and you wouldn't be able to walk across your yard barefooted without taking your life in your hands. Indoor plumbing is such a blessing. Daily baths too.
I've lived in Africa and Asia. They have some god awful parasitic and fungal conditions too. The stuff of nightmares. Imagine seeing a baby with a stomach the size of a basketball because of tapeworms. Imagine wading across a river in Laos and coming out with 1000 leeches stuck to your body. Ahh... the memories.... Leprosy. Terminal Syphilis.
Is it the rain forests, climate, wildlife or a mix of everything? Or the lack of infrastructure and living conditions?
Not at all in terms of Africa being a source of diseases.
Just off the top of my head post-insomnia....so pardon me if not detailed as per custom.
The classic example is Malaria, quite an issue in Rome of the Republic and Empire. The marshes were breeding grounds for the mosquitos. Hence the term mal-aria, bad air, as it was thought to be from the foul smelling air of the marshes.
Yellow Fever, Vomito Negro or Black Vomit originated in Central America and the Caribbean.
Smallpox and Typhus outbreaks originated in both North America and Europe.
Good posts. IIRC, a few virulent strains of influenza may have originated in Asia. By "originated" I mean its where they "made the jump" from porcine and avian populations to humans.
Capitalism will take care of this eventually. When more jobs transfer from China to countries in Africa, you'll see health structures improve. Africa has a lot more wildlands that many other places. Once those get cut down, you'll seee.
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