As colonists and slaves joined the Native Americans in the United States, they brought contagious and deadly diseases that endangered their lives. Neither the Native Americans, African slaves, nor the Europeans carried immunity to these diseases because they didn’t have previous exposure to them. This caused the population to decrease. Fortunately, these diseases would later have a cure, penicillin. But, unfortunately for the Native Americans, slaves, and Europeans, this cure came after their lifetime.
The Native Americans were responsible for many of the deadly diseases contracted by the people living in the United States. One serious condition brought by the natives was syphilis. It is caused by a bacteria by the name of Treponema Pallidum. According to webmd.com, syphilis causes serious long-term health problems such as arthritis, brain damage, and blindness. Until the discovery of penicillin, it could not be cured by treatment. They also spread mumps, which is a more common virus, even today. According to The Disease Book by Margaret Hyde, “Painful swelling of the salivary glands is a chief sign of mumps. It is a viral disease that can be spread by direct contact or through the air.” The Bubonic Plague was also transferred to …show more content…
Influenza, or the flu, was brought to America by the colonial people. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headaches and fatigue (CDC, 2015). Chickenpox is a very contagious disease that is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Symptoms consist of flu-like symptoms and an itchy rash (Kids Health, 1995). Now, the disease is less common because of vaccinations that most kids receive at a young age. Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a deadly disease that causes the victim to begin severely coughing and wheezing (Mayo Clinic, 1998). Today, we have vaccinations to treat whooping cough, but some infants can still die from
The Native Americans were responsible for many of the deadly diseases contracted by the people living in the United States. One serious condition brought by the natives was syphilis. It is caused by a bacteria by the name of Treponema Pallidum. According to webmd.com, syphilis causes serious long-term health problems such as arthritis, brain damage, and blindness. Until the discovery of penicillin, it could not be cured by treatment. They also spread mumps, which is a more common virus, even today. According to The Disease Book by Margaret Hyde, “Painful swelling of the salivary glands is a chief sign of mumps. It is a viral disease that can be spread by direct contact or through the air.” The Bubonic Plague was also transferred to …show more content…
Influenza, or the flu, was brought to America by the colonial people. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headaches and fatigue (CDC, 2015). Chickenpox is a very contagious disease that is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Symptoms consist of flu-like symptoms and an itchy rash (Kids Health, 1995). Now, the disease is less common because of vaccinations that most kids receive at a young age. Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a deadly disease that causes the victim to begin severely coughing and wheezing (Mayo Clinic, 1998). Today, we have vaccinations to treat whooping cough, but some infants can still die from