6 Oldest Diseases In The World, Some Since 1.7 Million Years Ago

JAKARTA - Disease has been a part of human life since prehistoric times. Some of them have lasted for thousands of years and are still infecting humans to this day.

With the advancement of medical science, many ancient diseases have been preventable or treated, but some are still global health threats. Here are the 6 oldest diseases in the world that still exist today, as reported by the Mentalfloss page.

The exact origin of cancer may always be a mystery, but research suggests that this disease is one of the oldest in the world.

In 2016, a study published in the South African Journal of Science, found the oldest malignant tumor in humans. The tumor was found in the bones of a 1.7 million-year-old homine leg excavated in the Swartkrans Cave, South Africa. Analysis results with advanced 3D imaging reveal that the tumor is an osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that attacks bone-forming cells.

In addition, other studies found the oldest tame tumor in the spine of the 1.98 million-year-old Australopithecus in the fossil site of Malapa, South Africa.

Evidence of cancer in humans was also found in an Egyptian mummy 2,250 years old named M1. Through a CT scan, scientists identified prostate cancer that had spread to its spine and pelvis. Luckily, in this modern era, prostate cancer has a wide selection of effective treatment.

Tuberculosis (TBC) is one of the deadliest diseases in human history. These infections attack the lungs and spread through small droplets in the air when a person coughs, sneeps, or talks.

Scientists believe that TBC has existed since 70,000 years ago in Africa, spreading as human migration to various parts of the world. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this disease was known for its various names such as consumption, white plague, or phthis.

When German scientist Robert Koch discovered the bacteria that caused TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in 1882, the disease had claimed the lives of one in Europe and the United States.

Even though it can now be cured with antibiotics, tuberculosis is still a big threat. In 2022, the disease killed 1.3 million people, making it the second most deadly infectious disease after COVID-19.

Gigieries or tooth damage is one of the most common diseases in the world, and it turns out that it has been around for thousands of years.

Initially, scientists thought that ancient humans who lived as hunters and food collectors avoided cavities due to low-carb diets.

However, a 2014 study found the hunter-gatherer community in Morocco 15,000 years ago suffered severe tooth damage due to consuming a lot of tree seeds rich in fermented carbohydrates.

Perforated teeth can cause pain, infection, and even loss of teeth. Unfortunately, this ancient human group does not yet recognize the primitive toothbrush that has just been used around the 3,000th century BC.

malaria is often associated with World War II, when many US troops in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea were affected by this disease. However, malaria had existed long before that.

Research in 2024 in the journal Nature, found evidence of malaria genetics in human remains aged 5,500 years. In fact, scientists suspect the disease may be much older.

Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite carried by the Anopheles mosquito. After exposure to the infected mosquito, a person can experience fever, chills, and fatigue. If not treated, malaria can cause organ failure and death.

Until now, malaria is still a big threat, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2022, there were 249 million malaria cases with 608,000 deaths. Fortunately, the first malaria vaccine was approved by WHO in 2021. By providing new hope in efforts to eradicate this disease.

Lyme disease was only identified in 1975, but evidence of its existence has been found since 5,300 years ago. The bacterial DNA that causes Lyme disease, Borreliaburgdorferi, was found in the bones of badminton the lecher, the oldest European mummy found in the Alps of Badtzal in 1991. Although badminton died from arrow wounds, scientists could not confirm whether he had Lyme symptoms.

This disease re-emerged thousands of years later in Lyme in 1975. A number of children experience symptoms such as reforms, which are then associated with bacteria from the bite of deer ticks. Lyme disease causes fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and a ring-shaped rash. If left untreated, the symptoms can get worse, such as heart and joint problems.

Leishmaniasis is a skin disease transmitted by female sand flies from the genus Phlebotomus. This disease is found mainly in the tropics and subtropics.

In 2006, research on the 4,000-year-old mummies of Egypt and Nubia found Leishmania's parasitic DNA. In fact, ancient Egyptian medical records from 1,500 BC illustrate the condition of Leishmaniasis-like skin called the 'Nile Simple'.

Leishmaniasis has various shapes, but the most common is the type of cutaneou, which causes injuries to the skin. There are also visceral and mucocutaneous forms, which are rarer to find, but more dangerous. WHO records about 1 million new cases of Leishmaniasis each year.