ABSTRACT

Throughout history, there are numerous examples of how disease has altered the course of civilization. Empires have fallen, populations decimated, and it is only within the last century that humankind has begun to understand the nature of disease. Historians and epidemiologists are at the forefront of understanding how disease has shaped history. Vector-borne diseases such as those spread by mosquitoes have existed for millennia, spreading across the globe, killing untold millions of people. Malaria and yellow fever, in addition to West Nile Virus and Zika, continue to pose a threat to humanity. An examination of the history of how vector-borne disease, plagues, and other threats such as typhoid, cholera, and measles, dramatically underscore the enormous impact they have had in shaping the world we live in today.