# Malaria vs Bubonic Plague **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 1999, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaria-vs-bubonic-plague/4918 "1999-11-23T21:08:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 1999, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaria-vs-bubonic-plague/4918/1 "1999-11-23T21:08:00Z")
## MAEDBH Member posted 11-23-1999 06:39 AM I know that malaria is the biggest killer of humans over all throughout history but during bubonic plague pandemics was it a bigger killer? ## Jomolungma Member posted 11-23-1999 07:38 AM This, MAEDBH is from the Columbia Encyclopedia entry (found at the [InfoPlease.com](http://InfoPlease.com) Web site): . The earliest known visitation of the plague to Europe occurred in Athens in 430 B.C. A disastrous epidemic occurred in Rome in the 3d cent., in which 5,000 persons are reported to have succumbed daily. The most widespread epidemic began in Constantinople in 1334, spread throughout Europe (returning Crusaders were a factor in this respect), and in less than 20 years is estimated to have killed as much as three quarters of the population of Europe and Asia. The following, again from the InfoPlease page: Leading causes of global deaths In 1997, of a global total of 52.2 million deaths, 17.3 million were due to infectious and parasitic diseases; 15.3 million were due to circulatory diseases; 6.2 million were due to cancer; 2.9 million were due to respiratory diseases, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and 3.6 million were due to perinatal conditions. Leading causes of death from infectious diseases were acute lower respiratory infections (3.7 million), tuberculosis (2.9 million), diarrhea (2.5 million), HIV/AIDS (2.3 million), and malaria (1.5–2.7 million). ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 1999, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaria-vs-bubonic-plague/4918/2 "1999-11-23T21:10:00Z")
And don’t forget the influenza pandemic in 1918 that wiped out **20 million people**. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 1999, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaria-vs-bubonic-plague/4918/3 "1999-11-24T06:23:00Z")
Depending on who you’re reading the Black Plague wiped out from 25% to 33% (or more) of Europe. Bubonic Plague needs infected rats and active shipping routes. Malaria needs infected mosquitoes and standing water. It seems that most of the 3rd world has conditions more friendly to Malaria. ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 1999, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaria-vs-bubonic-plague/4918/4 "1999-11-24T08:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Leading causes of global deaths How many planets have expired to date? Hatch local; die global. Ray (I’ll never make it.) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 1999, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaria-vs-bubonic-plague/4918/5 "1999-11-24T20:34:00Z")
Attn: Jillcat. Figures for the **1918 Spanish Influenza** have been updated. 21 million to 46 million dead. Causes for update–1/opening of Russian records in post Cold War era. 2/evidence suggesting deliberate fraud in record-keeping in India & Pakistan regions during British Imperial rule. Imperial Governors tried to protect their jobs by falsifying records. Note–smallpox , historically, is deadlier than malaria. * * * Is an appreciation of beauty a function of the human soul?