Bacterial
Often starting with a sore throat and fever, this infection is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes and can lead to complications like rheumatic fever if untreated.
Strep Throat
This common viral infection causes fever, body aches, and fatigue each winter and is prevented with an annual vaccine.
Influenza
This 21st-century virus caused lockdowns worldwide, spread rapidly through respiratory droplets, and reshaped global health systems.
COVID-19
This common fungal infection affects the feet of athletes and swimmers, causing itching, peeling skin, and cracking between the toes.
Athlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis)
Transmitted by mosquito bites, this parasite infects red blood cells and causes fever, chills, and anemia.
Malaria
This bacterial infection of the lungs causes sudden high fever, productive cough, and chest pain; Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause.
Bacterial Pneumonia
This childhood virus causes itchy, blister-like rashes and can later reactivate as shingles.
Chicken Pox
This 14th-century pandemic killed an estimated one-third of Europe’s population and was spread by fleas on rats.
Black Death/Bubonic Plague
This highly contagious skin infection causes circular, ring-shaped patches with raised edges; despite the name, no worms are involved.
Ringworm
Humans get this parasite from eating undercooked pork, and it can form cysts in muscles or the brain. Parasite was part of a Victorian era diet to loose weight.
Tapeworm
Known for severe coughing fits that can make breathing difficult, this infection is nicknamed “whooping cough.”
Pertussis
Once common in childhood before vaccination, this virus causes fever, tiny white Koplik spots in the mouth, and a red rash that spreads from the face downward.
Measles
This 1918 global outbreak infected one-third of the world and caused tens of millions of deaths.
Spanish Flu
This infection causes white patches in the mouth or throat, often seen in babies or people with weak immune systems.
Oral Thrush
This tiny parasite burrows into the skin, often between fingers, causing intense itching, especially at night.
Scabies
Caused by Mycobacterium, this infection primarily affects the lungs, spreads through airborne droplets, and is known for symptoms like chronic cough, night sweats, and weight loss.
Tuberculosis
Spread through bodily fluids, this virus attacks the immune system’s CD4 cells, leading to AIDS if untreated.
HIV
A pandemic beginning in 1981, this virus spread primarily through blood and bodily fluids and attacked the immune system, leading to millions of deaths.
HIV/AIDS
This parasitic fungus infects insects and arthropods, taking over their bodies and often sprouting from them to release spores, inspiring horror movies and video games. (The Last of Us)
Cordyceps
This intestinal parasite is contracted by walking barefoot on contaminated soil and can cause anemia by feeding on blood in the intestines.
Hookworm
Transmitted by ticks, this bacterial infection causes fever, fatigue, and a characteristic “bull’s-eye” rash around the bite.
Lyme's Disease
A highly contagious liver infection, this virus spreads through contaminated food or water and is typically short-term.
Hepatitis A
Caused by a bacterium from contaminated water, this disease has caused seven worldwide pandemics since the 1800s and leads to severe diarrhea and dehydration.
Cholera
This serious lung infection is caused by Aspergillus mold; it can create “fungal balls” in the lungs and is especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems.
Aspergillosis
People get this intestinal parasite from drinking contaminated water, often leading to diarrhea, stomach cramps, and bloating.