We thought we had beaten these diseases, but they are making a comeback

Surges of the Victorian era illnesses and other nearly eradicated diseases are becoming more common. Public health officials are concerned about resurging illnesses in all developed countries.

According to The Guardian, Scabies, a Victorian-era disease caused by tiny mites, is increasing in the UK. In 2024, the number of cases doubled the seasonal average.

In 2022, the newspaper continued, more than 400 patients entered UK hospitals with rickets. This condition causes weak bones due to a lack of vitamin D or sun exposure.

Another disease caused by poor nutrition is also rising in the UK, The Guardian said: scurvy, provoked by a lack of vitamin C and not eating fresh produce.

The UK is not the only country experiencing an outburst of old-time illnesses. Leprosy, which seems like a distant memory, might be endemic in Florida, Politico said.

Syphilis, which turned into an epidemic and took thousands of lives in the 20th century, is growing worldwide. The cases of the STI are worrying to officials in Canada, the US, and Europe.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that used to cause recurrent epidemics. Most developed countries controlled it after a vaccine was commercialized in 1963. Now, cases are resurging.

Other contagious diseases that were nearly disappearing thanks to the same vaccine are also returning. The MMR vaccine covers Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.

According to Nature, cases of the infectious disease are growing back even in patients with some immunization, especially in tight communities like college campuses.

A lack of vaccination is often why some of these diseases return. An increasingly broad anti-vax movement concerns specialists. Still, it is not the only reason.

The COVID-19 pandemic delayed programmed procedures and diagnosis of other diseases, allowing some to surge undetected.

According to National Geographic, that is precisely what happened with Tuberculosis. The disease can be asymptomatic for years, but it can be deadly when it is expressed.

Other diseases are becoming harder to fight as pathogens develop resistance to antibiotics. Infections can become deadly when doctors are unable to find a proper antimicrobial.

Diminished health systems can also contribute to the growth of returning diseases. According to The Guardian, the reduction of the UK’s National Health Service and the cost of living crisis contributed.

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