When looking back through human history, one would be hard-pressed to find an era, civilization, or community that has not been impacted by an infectious disease outbreak. From the bubonic plague to influenza to cholera, epidemics and pandemics the world over have come in many shapes, sizes, and death tolls. But sometimes, the death toll alone doesn’t reflect the true, lasting impact that specific infectious disease outbreaks had on the populations they infected - or those nearby.

So, what was the most significant infectious disease from every century? And what impact did the diseases have on the populations, economies, and environments of the communities they forever altered? And what world was left for the survivors of these pandemics? The answers to these questions, in many centuries, live up to the reputations of their associated infectious diseases.