20 years of the most dangerous viruses
It is estimated that there are more than 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 viruses on Earth – that’s more than 1030, or a 1 with 30 zeroes after it. Of these, we know of only a tiny proportion – just a few tens of thousands – and contemporary researchers believe that there are between 200 and 300 new ones appearing every day.
Some of these viruses cause devastating epidemics with far-reaching social and economic consequences. In the last 20 years, we have seen the emergence of HIV, SARS, H1N1 (swine flu), Ebola and Zika – viruses that have had a significant impact on global health. Here, we take a look at the 20 most dangerous viruses that have emerged in the last two decades.
1. HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections. HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids, principally blood and semen.
2. SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness caused by a SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The first outbreak of SARS occurred in southern China in 2002 and spread to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan and Canada. A second, much smaller outbreak occurred in 2003.
3. H1N1
Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, is a novel influenza virus that caused a global outbreak of respiratory illness in 2009. H1N1 is a member of the subfamily Orthomyxovirinae in the family of viruses known as the Orthomyxoviridae.
4. Ebola
Ebola virus disease (EVD), also known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) or simply Ebola, is a viral haemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by ebolaviruses. Signs and symptoms typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus with a fever, sore throat, muscular pain and headaches. Vomiting, diarrhoea and rashes follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this time, some people begin to bleed both internally and externally.
5. Zika
Zika virus is a member of the virus family Flaviviridae. It is spread by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes, such as A. aegypti and A. albopictus. Its name comes from the Zika Forest of Uganda, where the virus was first isolated in 1947. Zika virus has since spread to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas.
6. hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that primarily affects the liver. It is a serious condition that can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is a blood-borne virus. HCV is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person, such as through sharing needles or other injection drug paraphernalia.
7. West Nile virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and is the cause of West Nile fever. As of 2016, there are no specific treatments for the virus and no vaccine is available for prevention.
8. dengue fever
Dengue fever is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus. It is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito and is the leading cause of viral disease in humans in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and a rash. Dengue fever can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever, a potentially fatal form of the disease.
9. chikungunya
Chikungunya is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. It is the cause of chikungunya fever, a disease that is characterised by fever, joint pain, and a rash. There is no specific treatment for chikungunya and no vaccine is available for prevention.
10. Lassa fever
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus. It is transmitted by rodents, specifically the multimammate rat. Symptoms of Lassa fever include fever, headache, muscle pain, and vomiting. Lassa fever can progress to a more severe form of the disease, which can lead to bleeding and death.
11. Marburg virus
Marburg virus is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Filoviridae family. It is closely related to the Ebola virus and is the cause of Marburg hemorrhagic fever. Marburg virus is transmitted by contact with the body fluids of infected animals, such as monkeys, bats, and humans. There is no specific treatment for Marburg hemorrhagic fever and no vaccine is available for prevention.
12. yellow fever
Yellow fever is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. It is the cause of yellow fever, a disease that is characterised by fever, jaundice, and hemorrhage. There is no specific treatment for yellow fever and no vaccine is available for prevention.
13. Japanese encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection transmitted by the Culex mosquito. It is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia and the Western Pacific. Japanese encephalitis is characterised by fever, headache, and vomiting, followed by seizures and paralysis. There is no specific treatment for Japanese encephalitis and no vaccine is available for prevention.
14. Rift Valley fever
Rift Valley fever is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. It is the cause of Rift Valley fever, a disease that is characterised by fever, headache, muscle pain, and vomiting. Rift Valley fever can lead to hemorrhagic fever and death. There is no specific treatment for Rift Valley fever and no vaccine is available for prevention.
15. West Nile fever
West Nile fever is a viral infection transmitted by the Culex mosquito. It is the cause of West Nile fever, a disease that is characterised by fever, headache, and muscle pain. West Nile fever can lead to encephalitis, meningitis, and death. There is no specific treatment for West Nile fever and no vaccine is available for prevention.
16. Chikungunya
Chikungunya is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. It is the cause of chikungunya, a disease that is characterised by fever, joint pain, and a rash. There is no specific treatment for chikungunya and no vaccine is available for prevention.
17. Dengue fever
Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. It is the leading cause of viral disease in humans in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and a rash. Dengue fever can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever, a potentially fatal form of the disease.
18. Lassa fever
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus. It is transmitted by rats, specifically the multimammate rat. Symptoms of Lassa fever include fever, headache, muscle pain, and vomiting. Lassa fever can progress to a more severe form of the disease, which can lead to bleeding and death.
19. Ebola virus disease
Ebola virus disease (EVD), also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) or simply Ebola, is a viral hemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by ebolaviruses. Signs and symptoms typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches. Vomiting, diarrhea and rashes follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this time, some people begin to bleed both internally and externally.
20. Marburg virus
Marburg virus is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Filoviridae family. It is closely related to the Ebola virus and is the cause of Marburg hemorrhagic fever. Marburg virus is transmitted by contact with the body fluids of infected animals, such as monkeys, bats, and humans. There is no specific treatment for Marburg hemorrhagic fever and no vaccine is available for prevention..Visit Them
The most feared computer virus is now the most common
The most feared computer virus is now the most common. In the early days of computing, viruses were something of a novelty. They were largely the preserve of hobbyists and students, who would write code to infect programs and see how far they could spread it. As the internet grew, however, so did the number of people with the skills to write viruses, and their motives became more malicious.
Viruses are now a major problem for businesses and consumers alike. The most common type of virus is theTrojan, which is a program that appears to be benign but actually contains code that can damage your system or give hackers access to your personal information. Trojans are often spread via email attachments orInstant Messaging, and can be very difficult to spot.
The next most common type of virus is the worm. Worms spread themselves automatically, without the need for email or Instant Messaging. They often exploit security holes in software to propagate, and can cause a great deal of damage to a network if they are not stopped.
The most feared virus, however, is the ransomware virus. Ransomware is a type of virus that encrypts your files and demands a ransom in order to decrypt them. Ransomware is usually spread via email attachments, and can be very difficult to remove from your system.
Ransomware is particularly feared because it can be used to target businesses. If a business is infected with ransomware, it may be forced to pay the ransom in order to regain access to its files. This can be a very costly proposition, and many businesses choose to simply rebuild their systems from scratch rather than pay the ransom.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself from viruses. The best defense against viruses is a good antivirus program. There are many good antivirus programs available, both free and paid. You should also make sure that you keep your operating system and software up to date, as this will help to close any security holes that viruses can exploit. Finally, you should be careful about the emails you open and the attachments you download. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of an email, it is best to delete it without opening it.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about what was the most dangerous computer virus. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.