10 diseases you hope to never get.

Here at HolisticSurvival.com, we’re not so much concerned about which deadly disease could catapult us into an emergency situation as we are whether or not you’re prepared for it! Having said that, let’s take a quick look at the 10 biggest infectious killers in history.

1. Malaria – the single biggest killer in human history got its start 5,000 years ago in Western Africa and hasn’t left yet. Europe and the Americas have largely done away with it but sub-Saharan Africa hasn’t been so lucky.

2. Smallpox – extremely contagious and lethal, this disease reached a terrifying peak in the mid-20th century. A 30 year global eradication plan worked and, by the 1980’s, smallpox was gone.

3. Spanish Flu – this virulent flu strain laid waste to millions during 1918 and 1919, then disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

4. Tuberculosis – not as sexy or flashy as the Spanish Flu, tuberculosis has been a steady killer throughout history, though recent efforts have reduced the mortality rate.

5. Black Death – almost 60% of Europe was killed in the early 14th century by this Asian import disease. The vexing part is the exact microbial cause has never been found. Anyone want a do over?

Since it would be cruel to expect you to remember all 10 diseases at once, we’ll save the bottom five for next time.

The Holistic Survival Team