Tuberculosis
This deadly virus was the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death and countless other tales because of its deadly nature. But there is good news -- advancements in treatment options mean that 7.3 million people developed TB and survived in 2012. However, more than 1.3 million people have died from tuberculosis.
Recovery from this disease requires a regimen of several drugs over a period of six to nine months. Patients who neglect to follow their drug schedule can develop a drug-resistant form of TB, which is also airborne. For patients who develop this more serious form of the illness, treatment can then extend for up to two years.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is the world’s leading killer of children -- particularly young children -- taking more lives than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 1.1 million children younger than 5 years old die each year from this disease, caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Risks for this disease are particularly high for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems.
While pneumonia can be treated easily in healthy adults, those in high-risk categories face a number of complications, including respiratory failure, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and less commonly, lung abscesses, where pockets or pus form inside or around the lung. These pockets sometimes need to be surgically drained.
Ringworm
Dermatophytosis, or more commonly, ringworm, is a condition brought on by a fungal infection of the skin. Because of its name, it is often inaccurately believed to be caused by a breed of parasitic worm, when, in fact, this disease is the result of several species of fungi. This fungal infection causes lesions that are round, slightly red, and bordered by scales, blisters or bumps. These lesions are itchy and uncomfortable, although life-threatening cases are extremely rare.