Throughout human history, different infectious diseases have taken the mantle of “most deadly disease” infecting humans. In the past century alone, the human population has experienced many pandemics: COVID, HIV and various influenza outbreaks – to name a few. Some have lasted for centuries and persist today, such as tuberculosis. Others are often thought of as being consigned to the history books.
Before the 20th century, the most-deadly-disease mantle was held in Europe and surrounding areas by the bubonic plague. Three major pandemics of this disease have occurred in the past 1,500 years. The first occurred from the fifth to the seventh century, killing about 15 million people in the Mediterranean basin, and heavily affecting the Byzantine, Sasanian and Roman empires.
