10 most dangerous viruses in the world

In different times of history of world, hundreds or thousands of people have been died at the same time or over a short period time. Those deaths either taken place in a large part of world or in a particular country. Those happened either in pandemic form or epidemic form. In most of the cases, after occurrences’, the cause was identified as any dangerous viruses. Most of the world’s epidemic or pandemic disease is due to any virus. Recently Ebola is such as trending virus worldwide. But is it the most dangerous virus ever? The answer is “no”. Let’s see the world most dangerous virus over time of history.

1. Marburg virus:

The most dangerous virus of the world is “Marburg”. It was named by the city named Markburg, Germany, on the bank of river Lhan where the virus was first documented in 1967. That year 31 patients were affected by this virus and among them 7 patient died. In the course of time it spread over other parts of the world. Among all the outbreaks, the maximum mortality were in 1998-200 where out of 154 affected people 128 died (mortality rate 83%) and in 2004-2005 where out of 252 affected people 227 died (mortality rate 90%), occurred in Democratic republic of Congo and Angola respectively. Its (Marburg virus disease) sign and symptom have lots of similarities with that of Ebola virus disease. Death occurs due to multiple organ failure due to hypovolumia, hypotension, disseminated intravascular coagulation and tissue necrosis.

2. Ebola virus: 

Sign and symptoms of Ebola affected people are same that of Marburg virus disease. Ebola virus has 5 species. They were named according to the city where first discovered like Bundibugyo ebolavirus (Bundibugyo city of Uganda), Reston ebolavirus(Reston, the town of Virginia, USA), Sudan ebolavirus( in Sudan), Taï Forest ebolavirus(Parc National de Taï, the name of a national park in Côte d’Ivoire) and Zaire ebolavirus(Republic of Zaire, its current name is Republic of Zaire).  Ebola virus itself was named by the name of river Ebola of Zaire. The recent outbreak in various countries in Africa is with Zaire Ebola virus. Its mortality rate is above 90%.

3. Hanta virus:

During Korean War (1950-1953) thousands of US solders became ill with Korean hemorrhagic fever.  It usually caused hemorrhagic fever and involved principally kidney and lung. After 25 years of research, in 1978 it was declared that hanta virus (named by the river hanta in Korea near which US solders stayed) was behind that illness.  In 1993 an outbreak happened in some parts of southwestern United States.

4. Flu virus: 

Bird flu and swine flu virus are still a threat is parts of world particularly in Asia and America continent. These virus primarily involve respiratory system and if respiratory support cannot be given, around 70% affected people die. Chicken or birds and swine are responsible for spreading of this virus respectively. 

5. Lassa virus: 

One nurse from Nigeria first affected by this virus in 1969 and this virus was named by the town of Lassa, Nigeria. It is epidemic in some countries of West Africa like Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Central Africa Republic. In these areas, annually 30,000-50,000 peoples are affected and average 5000 people die among them. One type of rodent is the vector of this Lassa virus.

6. HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus):

It is one of the deadly viruses worldwide. According to WHO, it is causing a pandemic disease.  It is causing death of millions of people each year all over the world but mostly in Africa. It is a sexually transmitted virus which lowered the human body’s defense system or it makes the people immune-compromised.  So people usually die due to some life threatening infections by other organisms like bacteria or fungus.  It was first discovered in 1981 and till then, around 25 million people died worldwide and still counting. The disease it caused is AIDS 

7. Dengue virus:

Like HIV, it is also an ongoing continuous threat for human being.  Transmitted by mosquito (Principally Aedes aegypti). It causes Dengue fever or break bone fever. Disease manifestation may be from simple fever, headache and malaise to severe circulatory failure (shock) and even death may happen! This type of condition first discovered in 1779. But dengue fever dramatically increased in 1960s and till then 50-100 million people are being infected annually. In severe form, spontaneous bleeding start from various body parts and untreated patient eventually die.

8. Crimean–Congo virus : 

It is one of the oldest viruses ever exist in the world. It is evolving over 3100-3500 years! It is common in east and West Africa. It is tick born disease but it can cause serious diseases in human with 30% mortality rate.

9. Machupo virus: 

Machupo virus causes Bolivian hemorrhagic fever (BHF). It’s also named as black typhus or Ordog Fever. It’s usually causes hemorrhagic fever. It was first described in 1959. Its mortality is 5-30%.

10. Kyasanur forest virus: 

It mainly affects monkey. Kyasanur forest disease is the disease caused by it to human. As it affects monkey, so monkey disease or money fever is another name.  It was first documented from Kyasanur Forest of Karnataka in India in March 1957. It affected 100-500 people annually in that area. Morbidity rate is 2-10%.