In The Living, a young adult novel by Matt de la Pena, the reader follows the main character, a teenage boy named Shy, as his quest to work over the summer for extra cash becomes a life threatening journey he never could have expected. In this novel three themes are very present in the forms of Romero disease, stereotyping, and the past versus present experiences. All of these topics arrive in very different ways, but can be traced back to not only Shy’s life experience, but Matt de la Pena’s as well.
“The more one contemplates the hot viruses, the less they look like parasites and the more they begin to look like predators” (Preston 136). There is many different viruses around the planet; each spreading and mutating, jumping from species to species, picking out and taking down their prey. Richard Preston identifies viruses as predators in his novel, The Hot Zone, to show just how lethal they really are; the worst being the hot agent Ebola. The Ebola virus is the most dangerous hot agent, with high fatality rates, mutations, and limited survivors.
Among the many things spread and shared in the Columbian Exchange, the trading of diseases is perhaps the most significant. The natives of the Americas had never experienced the serious diseases that European explorers carried over to the New World. From smallpox to influenza and malaria to cholera, Native American populations were drastically decreased due to their poor immunity. Between the numerous amounts of European diseases, though, measles was the most remarkable in that its effects were both widespread and enduring.
“Plague in Central America,” by Arana Xajila, in the years of 1519-1560 talks about a deadly plague that derives from Europe to Mesoamerica (Central America) and spreads throughout Central America. This plague had spread to the people of Central America when their tribe, Cakchiquels, were fighting against the Spaniards. The Spaniards that were fighting in the tribe had passed on this deadly plague to the Cakchiquels tribe who then passed it on to others in Central America. This plague can be known as the influenza (flu). This deadly virus was spreading rapidly and soon everyone in Central America were affected. This deadly disease that spread from Europe to Central America had caused people much suffering and ultimately was the cause of their
How has the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic of 1793 change history? An appalling contagious outbreak impacted the colossal city of America and its country’s capital. In the summer of 1793 the weather was brutally humid and mild. Therefore, this infectious disease has initiated in August and is known to be terminated approximately few months later in November. This disease has commenced by mosquitoes and caused a massive amount of deaths. Not only has this epidemic dispatched numerous people it made them suffer to the point where it was unbearable to handle.
1.)The Black Plague has struck. It is a curse from God for all of us sinners. We must have done something awful to deserve something so horrible. The Black Plague is a sickness that kills you only a few days after you get it. It is spreading through Europe very quickly causing any deaths. It affects all of us adults and children and is completely devastating our country.
According to CDC (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention), “Valley Fever is not contagious. Valley Fever is caused by fungus that lives in the environment. Symptoms of Valley Fever are usually similar to the flu.” In the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, valley fever is a crucial event. Valley fever affected people in the 1930s, was used throughout the novel, and was depicted correctly by the author. In the next paragraphs I will be describing how valley fever affected many people and how people struggled during the 1930s.
Two stories, one purpose. Contagion and The American Plague tell the story of mankind's fight for survival. With a vast amount of humans dying in infected areas, the government brings together the most renowned scientists in the medical field. In Contagion, the disease originated in China, and they sent scientists to Hong Kong to help find the source of the virus. In The American Plague, the disease originated in Africa, and they sent scientist to Cuba where the disease is often found. The American Plague, otherwise known as Yellow Fever, struck Memphis hard in 1878. Rich or poor, mothers or children, Yellow Fever showed no discrimination. It struck like a ghost in the night, unseen and unnoticed till the symptoms arrived. The virus in Contagion was similar to Yellow Fever; it caused mass destruction and panic. Neither disease showed mercy.
Through much scientific research, a bacteria called Yersinia Pestis was discovered. This bacteria is spread by both animals and insects. This specific bacteria attacks the lymph system causing the infection to spread throughout the body. The reservoirs of this bacteria and disease are mice, rats, squirrels and other small animals. A reservoir is a host of an infection. The vector, meaning carrier, is insects such as fleas and
The Plague During the 1300s Asia was struck with one of the most deadly diseases, the plague. This deadly disease is very contagious, if you are in the same room with the person that is infected, the disease is already inside you and you could soon get it. Back in the
Death has always plagued humanity. Humans in the past have rebbuttled sickness with medicine. Humans and medicine have evolved alongside one another while disease continued to manifest rampantly. Some escalated to a severity that left individuals with less than a forty percent chance to live past the age of thirty. Unfortunately, this was the harsh reality for countless individuals during the Antebellum Louisiana era because the medical resources medical professionals had during late 1800s were vastly different in comparison to the resources available in today’s society. . Detrimental epidemics, such as the excruciating Yellow Fever, Malaria, and Smallpox outbreaks, resulted in the devastation of numerous populations. Aside from the elderly
The Army went to great lengths to safeguard the health of its prisoners as mandated in the Geneva Convention. Of immediate concern was preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Shortly after arriving at his first POW camp in America, each prisoner received a complete physical exam. It included vaccinations against smallpox, typhoid, paratyphoid, and tetanus. At least once a month thereafter, Army medical corps officers inspected the prisoners for communicable diseases and vermin infestation.67
The treatment involves using a type of microscopic bacteria. The bacteria slows the growth of fungus.
In the book The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, Ebola is categorized as a filovirus. Filoviruses are becoming more and more common throughout the world and we do not know much about them. Most of these diseases are destructive and the victims normally do not survive. However, scientists must be confident that there is a cure for Ebola Viruses because their research has not yet ended. The following pages show the effects of the illness and what measures have been taken.
Smallpox is a highly contagious and fatal disease that had a huge impact on the human population. It is thought to have been originated from India or Egypt at least 3,000 years ago. Smallpox is caused by two variations of the variola virus, variola major and variola minor. Variola major is the most common form of smallpox. It enters the body through the lungs and is carried to the internal organs. Then, the skin is infected and boils and rashes will appear all over. Smallpox is spread through contact between people and saliva when talking, coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread rapidly when the boils on the skin burst, leading to the smallpox DNA going everywhere.The highly infectious disease ravaged and plagued across the globe, decimating a large number of the population. In the 18th century, it had an astonishing mortality rate of 90% in the United States. Also, in the year 1966, it was estimated that 10-15 million citizens had died altogether. Smallpox was finally proclaimed eradicated in 1980. Nowadays, only government laboratories in the United States and Russia contains fragments of the virus for research purposes. However, if used as a biological warfare agent, it is a immense threat to humanity and civilization because of its case-fatality of more than 30%. No cure or treatment for smallpox exists. Luckily, there is a vaccine to prevent it. Although the vaccine may have some side effects causing harm to the body, it is the only way to prevent smallpox.