Five Disease Outbreaks That Are Worse Than Swine Flu

y Joshua Keating

Page 1 of 1

Posted May 2009

Swine flu has infected 1,500 people worldwide and killed around 30, almost all in Mexico. But it is far from the world's most serious disease outbreak. Here are five you probably won't see on the evening news.

DESMOND KWANDE/AFP/Getty Images

CHOLERA

What is it?  An acute diarrheal infection that can lead to death from dehydration or severe kidney failure. Unlike other diarrheal diseases, it is often deadly in both children and adults.

Where is it? Worried about a pandemic? Cholera has been a global scourge since 1961. The disease is endemic in many parts of Africa, Southern Asia, and Latin America. New infections jumped 96 percent in 2006. The growing severity of the disease is likely due to overpopulation in areas without sufficient sanitation.

via foreignpolicy.com

A very good article to read. I only went over it because I cannot read disease stuff and that was enough information for me.

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