For many people, especially in West Africa, worldwide is synonymous with disease, wars, conflicts and famine. While Africa cannot agree to be synonymous with such claims, the continent cannot escape the fact that its territory harbors some of the deadliest diseases that have claimed more lives in history than war and famine combined. Every continent has diseases that are prevalent and this is also true of Africa.
Most of the diseases in Africa are ones that can be completely prevented by taking simple measures, starting with proper upbringing and personal hygiene. In most cases, these diseases affect women and children, who form the most vulnerable segment of the population. In this article, we examine the 10 deadliest diseases in Africa that have claimed many lives.
10. Syphilis
Syphilis is arguably one of the deadliest diseases in Africa. The rash/boil that causes the plague is responsible for infecting up to 12.2 million people in the world each year, with a quarter of those cases occurring in Africa due to poor sexual health education. The disease is transmitted through contact with body fluids, blood, and blood products. It is also known to be transmitted from mother to child . On average, 157,000 people die from syphilis each year.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infection rates in major African cities such as Zambia; an East African country and Cameroon; One country in Central Africa has reported rates of 10% and 6% in both sexes, respectively, while studies conducted in Madagascar have suggested infection rates of up to 30%. In addition to Africa, syphilis is also common in Southeast Asia and South America.
9. Meningitis
Meningitis is one of the deadliest diseases in Africa and the world at large. What is unpleasant about this disease is that it can affect the quality of life even after recovery. Meningitis occurs mainly in northern and central Africa and is usually seasonal. Usually occurs in the dry season between December and June.
Over 1 million people become infected with some meningitis each year with 174,000 deaths. A typical infection is to cover the brain and spinal cord, causing swelling of these tissues. Meningitis has a high mortality rate, so even with early diagnosis and treatment, up to 5 to 10% of those affected are still dead, and more than 10 to 20% of survivors experience permanent brain damage and some form of hearing loss or learning disability. The prevalence of meningitis can be easily reduced with adequate vaccination and prophylaxis for those who may be exposed.
8. Tetanus
Tetanus is a disease of carelessness and negligence. It ranks in the top ten deadliest diseases in Africa because while it affects fewer people, it leaves fewer survivors. The number of new cases has fallen from 800,000 to about 500,000 per year over the last decade, but nearly half become ill each year (up to 214,000 deaths).
Tetanus is ubiquitous and can easily infectindividual when the first layer of barrier against disease is broken – the skin and mucous membranes. Sometimes an injury from a small cut or wound can become contaminated by Clostridium tetani (the microorganism that causes tetanus) with the disease manifesting several days after contamination (usually 3 to 21 days after). Sub-Saharan Africa records approximately 84,000 deaths from tetanus each year. Neonatal tetanus is common in many developing countries, particularly African countries and Southeast Asia, and is responsible for approximately 14% (215,000) of all neonatal deaths. Deaths from neonatal tetanus have decreased.
7. Whooping cough (pertussis)
Whooping cough is the 7th deadliest disease in Africa. Between 20 and 40 million cases of pertussis are diagnosed each year, killing 200,000 to 300,000 people each year. Most of these are infants and children under the age of 5. Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease and often takes 7 to 14 days to treat an established infection. A typical manifestation is a persistent cough with shortness of breath, leading to a characteristic wheezing sound. More than 90% of whooping cough occurs in developing countries in Africa and is easily prevented with simple immunization.
6. Measles
Measles is a disease that has gained some serious notoriety due to its ability to spread like wildfire during outbreaks. The deadly disease claims around 530,000 lives after infecting more than 30 million people (usually infants and children under the age of 5) every year. That large number equates to 1,400 people dying from measles every day. Almost 50% of deaths occur in Africa (242,000 deaths).
All is not bleak, however, as measles have seen a drastic reduction as vaccination became more readily available. The challenge of maintaining the cold chain and reaching outback villages remains a challenge in most developing countries in Africa. A typical measles infection is an airborne infection that is spread by coughing and sneezing and usually affects malnourished children. It is highly contagious and the most common symptoms are high grade fever, cough, maculopapular rash with associated diarrhea, pneumonia and ear infection as common complications.
5. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is one of the main diseases in Africa, which kills after a long time and gives victims a debilitating condition. More than 2 million people die from tuberculosis every year. Tuberculosis is much more common in Africa and ever since HIV/AIDS ravaged the lives of many, the two have formed an unholy alliance. More people die from tuberculosis in Africa than anywhere else. About a third of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis, and over 8 million new cases occur each year. This means that one in three to four people you meet on the street is infected with TB. However, the disease is only reactivatedMycobacterium tubercule .
The typical TB infection affects the lungs, but is not limited to this organ as it can also infect other parts of the body. TB is so deadly that it kills more than 50% of those infected if left untreated. New infections occur at a rate of about one second per second, and more people in Africa are more susceptible to tuberculosis as immune systems are weakened by higher rates of AIDS and malnutrition. Vaccination, proper ventilation, proper nutrition, and good personal hygiene are among the surefire ways to prevent TB.
4. Diarrhea
Diarrhea is so prevalent in Africa that it is responsible for 8% of all deaths in Africa. In cases where the diarrhea is due to contaminated living conditions such as polluted water, it can result in up to 1 in 5 deaths. Most deaths from diarrhea actually result from severe dehydration and not from the diarrhea itself. Diarrhea is one of the most common diseases in Africa due to the continent’s high incidence of malnutrition.
3. Malaria
Malaria affects more than 500 million people. Between 1 and 3 million people die each year. It has become a household name in Africa and when it comes to taking lives, it is done mercilessly. A 2012 study of malaria found that each year, malaria kills twice as many people as previously thought, killing 1.2 million people and causing death, including many older children and very young adults, particularly those under the age of 15 Age. The prevalence rate of malaria is exorbitantly high, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where up to 90% of all cases are known. Complications such as anemia, cerebral malaria, and swelling of the spleen can occur after infection.
2. HIV/AIDS
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( HIV ) is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) , a disease that attacks the immune system, causing its progressive failure and ultimately allowing opportunistic infections. HIV/AIDS is among the 10 most prevalent African diseases, yet it is one of the most preventable. There is no region in Africa that is free of HIV/AIDS. Heterosexual transmission accounts for most cases of HIV transmission. There are more than 33 million people infected with HIV/AIDS and 65 percent of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa.
HIV is primarily transmitted through unprotected sex, having sex with someone who has HIV (especially among homosexuals). Other routes of infection include: sharing needles, syringes, or unsterilized invasive instruments, and babies born to an infected mother.
There is strong evidence that we are winning the race against HIV/AIDS; Reports from some of the African countries where HIV prevalence is highest show that the rate of new HIV infections has fallen dramatically since 2001. 41% in South Africa and Swaziland, 50% in Zimbabwe, 58% in Zambia, 68% in Namibia, 71% in Botswana and 73% in Malawi. In addition, sub-Saharan Africa has reduced the number of AIDS deaths by one-third in the last six years and increased the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment by 59% in the last two years alone.
1. Pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections
We have come to the ultimate deadly disease in Africa; Pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of death among Africans. It affects both children and adults and, unlike most other diseases, leaves little scope for intervention. In most cases of lower respiratory tract infections, early treatment is key. Diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis and bronchiolitis kill an estimated 4.2 million people worldwide and the death toll is higher in countries with limited access to health facilities. Pneumonia alone is responsible for 90% of all lower respiratory tract infections and is one of the deadliest diseases in Africa, killing more than 800,000 people annually.
Most diseases in Africa are ones that can be prevented for less than $5 with vaccine or with drugs that sell for less than $10. With proper education, immunization programs, and health care with trained staff, deaths from these diseases must be dramatically reduced.