Definition of an Old World Disease

Old World diseases are diseases that were in Europe before explorers and conquerors expanded to the New World and brought these diseases with them. Once in the New World, these diseases such as smallpox and syphilis decimated native populations who did not have the immunity possessed by the explorers.

History

• Prior to the Columbus expedition in 1492, the old and new worlds had rarely ever come into contact. Each had its own diseases and ailments, but in Europe diseases had been running rampant for centuries, and many of the inhabitants developed immunities or at least tolerances to these diseases. Columbus and the conquistadors who explored the New World brought with them new diseases that swept through the Americas. When Europeans began the colonization and interacting with the Native American populations, the diseases once again spread rapidly and were effecting Native American populations as late as the 19th century.

Types

• There are many types of Old World diseases that were brought to the America from Europe. One of the most devastating was smallpox, which was introduced via the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors and devastated the Aztec and Incan populations. Yellow Fever had a major outbreak in Philadelphia between 1793 and 1822. First cases of the diseases were traced to the 16th century after the Spanish Conquests. A vaccine was developed in the 1920s.

Effects

• Old World diseases have had a tremendous effect on the populations of native cultures in North and South America since they were first introduced. According to Aztec-History.com., diseases such as smallpox wiped out 25 percent of the native Aztec population. Native American populations in the U.S. were also decimated by diseases such as smallpox; an estimated 30 percent of their population were lost, according to Historylink.org.

Progression

• Many of the Old World diseases that ravaged the Americas are still rampant in many under developed countries that do not have access to good hygiene and medicine that have eliminated many of the diseases in the U.S. Bubonic plaque, tuberculosis and other diseases still kill hundreds of people every year despite the availability of medication. In the U.S., smallpox has been eliminated thanks to a vaccine, but there is still worry of a vaccine-resistant strain being used as a biological weapon.

Considerations

• There are many Old World diseases that were introduced to the native populations of the Americas that did not have the dramatic consequences of smallpox. Sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea as well as typhus and cholera outbreaks continued into the late 19th and 20th centuries. Occasional outbreaks continue to happen in the United States but are usually handled by local and state medical agencies and, on occasion, the Centers for Disease Control.