Sick of Being Clueless? Become a Pandemic Pro with Our Viral Trivia Test!

Which pandemic began in 1918?

Black Death

Spanish Flu

Asian Flu

Swine Flu

The Spanish Flu, beginning in 1918, infected about one-third of the world’s population and is considered one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.

The Black Death predominantly spread through:

Water contamination

Fleas on rats

Airborne particles

Contaminated food

The Black Death, which killed millions in the 14th century, was spread primarily by fleas carried on rats, enhancing its rapid transmission across continents.

Which disease was declared eradicated in 1980?

Polio

Smallpox

Measles

Malaria

Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980 after a successful global vaccination campaign led by the World Health Organization, making it the first disease to be eradicated by human effort.

What was the main transmission method of Cholera?

Mosquito bites

Contaminated water

Skin contact

Blood transfusions

Cholera is primarily spread through water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Outbreaks are closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation.

Which pandemic occurred in the early 21st century?

H1N1 Swine Flu

Justinian Plague

Yellow Fever

Antonine Plague

The H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic occurred in 2009 and was a significant global health concern, leading to widespread vaccinations.

The Antonine Plague during the Roman Empire was caused by:

Bubonic plague

Smallpox

Typhoid fever

Measles

It is hypothesized that the Antonine Plague, which severely affected the Roman Empire, was caused by smallpox, based on descriptions of the symptoms.

Yellow Fever primarily spread by:

Fleas

Mosquitoes

Ticks

Rats

Yellow Fever is transmitted by mosquitoes, particularly the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which acts as the primary vector for the virus.

The plague of Justinian hit Constantinople in the year:

541 AD

1347 AD

1918 AD

1665 AD

The Plague of Justinian first arrived in Constantinople in the year 541 AD, becoming one of the first recorded pandemics in history.

Which pandemic was also known as the third cholera pandemic?

1830-1832

1852-1860

1881-1896

1910-1911

The third cholera pandemic, known for being the deadliest, occurred from 1852 to 1860, affecting Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa.

Which pandemic led to the use of quarantine stations?

Asian Flu

Black Death

Spanish Flu

Cholera

The practice of quarantine, especially in maritime ports, became more systematized during the cholera pandemics of the 19th century to control the spread of the disease.

What year did the Third Plague Pandemic start?

1855

1894

1920

1945

The Third Plague Pandemic began in 1894 in Hong Kong, spreading rapidly to India and causing millions of deaths over several decades.

Which pandemic was known for the “sweating sickness”?

English Sweat

Spanish Flu

Black Death

Asian Flu

The English Sweat, or sweating sickness, was a mysterious and highly virulent disease that struck England and later continental Europe in the late 15th century.

Which disease caused significant deaths during the 19th century?

Yellow Fever

Cholera

Measles

Smallpox

Yellow Fever caused numerous outbreaks in the 19th century, particularly notorious for the 1878 epidemic in the Mississippi River Valley which resulted in over 20,000 deaths.

What is another name for Typhus?

Camp Fever

Ship Fever

Jail Fever

All above

Typhus is also known historically as “camp fever,” “ship fever,” and “jail fever” due to its prevalence in these crowded and unsanitary conditions.

During which century did the Plague of Athens occur?

5th century BC

2nd century AD

7th century AD

11th century AD

The Plague of Athens occurred in the 5th century BC, during the second year of the Peloponnesian War, significantly weakening Athens.

Which vector spreads the Zika Virus?

Fleas

Ticks

Mosquitoes

Flies

The Zika Virus is primarily spread through mosquitoes, particularly the Aedes species which is active and bites during daytime.

What was a major symptom of the Spanish Flu?

High fever

Skin rashes

Intense sweating

Blue skin

A major and terrifying symptom of the Spanish Flu was cyanosis, or blue skin, indicating severe oxygen deprivation and a critical stage of infection.

Which continent was least affected by the Black Death?

Asia

Europe

Africa

Australia

Australia was least affected by the Black Death during its initial spread in the 14th century, primarily because it was not yet in contact with the predominant global trade routes.

What type of pathogen causes Malaria?

Virus

Bacteria

Protozoa

Fungus

Malaria is caused by Protozoa, specifically by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.