A Plague on Both Your Houses Trivia Quiz

Answer: tuberculosis

Also known as "consumption" - since weight loss is one of the major symptoms of the disease - tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Most infections by this microorganism, however, do not develop into active disease; only those with active TB can spread the disease by coughing, sneezing, spitting or even simply speaking. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, and its most distinctive symptom is a chronic cough with blood-containing sputum. Though not as prevalent in developed countries as it was until the early 20th century, TB is still a cause for concern in developing countries, especially as the disease is associated with overcrowding, malnutrition, and also HIV/AIDS. TB can be treated with multiple antibiotics, though antibiotic resistance is a growing problem.

Many figures of the literary and artistic world of the 19th century were affected by tuberculosis, and some - such as poet John Keats, novelist Charlotte Bronte and illustrator Aubrey Beardsley - died of it.

Answer: leprosy

Caused by Mycobacterium leprae, leprosy takes its name from a Greek word meaning "scale" - a reference to the skin lesions that develop as the first noticeable sign of the disease; the term "Hansen's disease" comes from the name of the Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, who in 1873 identified the bacterium. Associated with poverty and social stigma (hence the use of "leper" to signify an outcast), leprosy is not as highly infectious as it was believed to be.

The disease - which can cause loss of sensation in the extremities, due to damage to peripheral nerves - is still common in countries such as India, Brazil and Indonesia. Though generally spread through human contact, leprosy is also carried by armadillos. Leprosy is treated with multidrug therapy, which has proved highly effective, and is provided free of charge by the World Health Organization.

Answer: anthrax

Although anthrax (Greek for "coal") is not as familiar to most people as some other bacterial diseases, it was brought to the public attention in 2001, when concentrated anthrax spores were sent by mail to two US senators and several news media offices, causing the death of five people. Caused by Bacillus anthracis, the disease can occur in skin, lungs (the most serious) and intestinal and injection form.

The bacterium spores, which are capable of surviving for a long time even in harsh conditions, are often spread by infected animal products (such as wool, skin and meat); therefore, vaccination is recommended to people who are at high risk of infection because of regular contact with animals or animal products. American and UK military personnel are also vaccinated if they are going to serve in areas where biological attacks are considered likely to occur. Anthrax is treated with antibiotics, though treatment needs to be started as early as possible to be fully effective.

Answer: malaria

Of all diseases caused by microorganisms, malaria is probably the most significant in the modern world. Unlike the other diseases mentioned in this quiz, it is not caused by a bacterium, but by a single-celled protozoan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, transmitted to humans through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. Malaria's most common symptom is fever, accompanied by shivering and sweating, occurring every two or three days; these symptoms arise up to 30 days after a mosquito bite, and can recur after symptom-free periods. Though no effective vaccine against malaria has yet been developed, a number of medications are available both as prevention (prophylaxis) and treatment; however, severe cases of malaria (the ones typically caused by Plasmodium falciparum) have a relatively high fatality rate. Malaria is endemic in most areas around the Equator, characterized by rainfall, high temperatures and high humidity, which provide the ideal breeding ground for Anopheles mosquitoes. Indeed, the term "malaria" comes from the Medieval Italian for "bad air", because of its association with swamps and marshland.

Answer: tetanus

Tetanus' common name of "lockjaw" comes from the spasms in the jaw muscles (trismus) that are generally the first symptom of the disease; these spasms then progress to the rest of the body, sometimes becoming so severe as to cause bone fractures. Though very unpleasant to experience, tetanus (whose name comes from the Greek word for "taut") is not as lethal as it was once believed to be (only 10% of cases prove fatal), and is very easily preventable by immunization with the tetanus vaccine. This vaccine is given when exposure to the disease is suspected - as in cases of cuts or puncture wounds by an object contaminated with the bacterium Clostridium tetani; a booster should be given every 10 years. Tetanus remains a significant problem in developing countries, as the bacterium thrives in warm and humid climates where the soil contains a lot of organic matter.

Answer: syphilis

Caused by Treponema pallidum, syphilis can present itself in four stages, characterized by different symptoms. This devastating disease is usually transmitted by sexual contact, and in the tertiary stage it can occur many years after the initial infection; congenital syphilis is the one transmitted during pregnancy or birth. Though the symptoms of all four stages of syphilis are very unpleasant, tertiary syphilis often affects the central nervous system, causing what in the past was believed to be madness.

As there is no effective vaccine against syphilis, the only prevention lies in abstinence or monogamy, though the use of reliable latex condoms reduces the likelihood of contracting the disease. The development of antibiotics in the 1940s dramatically decreased the number of syphilis cases, but still millions of people are infected every year. Syphilis is believed by some to have been brought to Europe from the Americas by Christopher Columbus' crewmen at the end of the 15th century; its first outbreak occurred in 1495 among French troops besieging Naples - hence its common name of "French disease".

Answer: meningitis

Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the meninges, the protective membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord, caused by bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms. Because of the proximity of such important organs, meningitis can be a serious medical emergency. with often fatal outcomes. Bacterial meningitis can be caused by various bacteria, notably Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis; some forms of meningitis can be prevented through vaccination. Symptoms of this disease include fever, headache and neck stiffness; most symptoms, however, are common to other medical conditions, and this is why lumbar puncture (also known as spinal tap) is essential in identify or rule out meningitis. If left untreated, bacterial meningitis is almost always fatal, especially in newborns and adults.

Some areas of sub-Saharan Africa are especially prone to outbreaks of bacterial meningitis.

Answer: typhus

The common names of "camp fever", "jail fever", "famine fever" and other similarly depressing synonyms emphasize the association of epidemic typhus with war and disaster. This terrible disease, which has caused the deaths of millions of people throughout history, is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia prowazekii, carried by the human body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) - whose diffusion hinges on the lack of proper hygiene that can be expected in times of war and deprivation.

The Plague of Athens that devastated the Greek city-state during the Peloponnesian War was probably an outbreak of epidemic typhus; during WWII, typhus killed hundreds of thousands of people in Nazi concentration camps, including Anne Frank and her sister Margot. Symptoms of this highly infectious disease are high fever, severe headaches and muscle pains, chills, rash and delirium. Though typhus can be treated with antibiotics, and the infection prevented through vaccination, the best method of prevention lies in preventing lice infestation.

Answer: cholera

The most typical symptom of cholera (from the Greek word for "bile") is watery diarrhea, often referred to as "rice water", which can last for several days and lead to dehydration so severe that the skin wrinkles and turns bluish-grey. This disease, widespread in areas with poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water, is caused by Vibrio cholerae.

Shellfish and plankton are often carriers of the disease, and in developed countries cholera is generally linked to consumption of undercooked seafood (such as oysters and mussels), while in the developing world it is the result of drinking water contaminated with human feces. Though effective treatment and vaccines for cholera are available, prevention is the best way to deal with this dangerous disease, which still affects large swaths of the population of developing countries.

Answer: gonorrhea

Unlike most of the diseases mentioned in this quiz, gonorrhea (known by most as "the clap") is unlikely to cause death - but it is definitely likely to cause a lot of discomfort. It is estimated that about 88 million cases of this sexually transmitted infection occur every year - which could be prevented by abstinence, monogamy or the use of condoms. Caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrheae, this STI causes unpleasant symptoms related to the inflammation of the genital area, which appear relatively soon after infection.

The main danger of gonorrhea, however, lies in the complications that can occur if the disease is left untreated, and which include pelvic inflammatory disease (for women), infertility, septic arthritis and meningitis. As with other bacterial diseases, antibiotics have proved effective to treat gonorrhea, though antibiotic resistance seems to be increasing.