History's Worst Pandemics: Trivia Quiz!

15 Questions | By Thehistoryroom | Updated: Mar 21, 2022 | Attempts: 362

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Historys Worst Pandemics: Trivia Quiz! - Quiz

Questions and Answers

1.

The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic is generally believed to have originated in which country?
- A.
  
  Spain
- B.
  
  France
- C.
  
  The USA
2.

And why was Spanish flu so-called?
- A.
  
  Because the Spanish press were the first to report the outbreak
- B.
  
  Because the first infections occurred in Spain
- C.
  
  Because the first known fatality was a Spaniard
3.

In two successive waves, the 1918 pandemic infected how many?
- A.
  
  Ten million
- B.
  
  One hundred million
- C.
  
  Five hundred million
4.

What was probably a smallpox outbreak that killed at least one million Romans in the middle of the 3^rd century AD? How was it known at the time?
- A.
  
  Caesar’s Revenge, caused by the ghost of Julius Caesar
- B.
  
  The Red Death, after the fever it caused
- C.
  
  The Plague of Cyprian, after the Christian bishop who first described it
5.

What recurring pandemic is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis?
- A.
  
  Ebola
- B.
  
  Influenza (flu)
- C.
  
  Plague
6.

The most well-known of all plagues, the Black Death, occurred in the middle of which century?
- A.
  
  The 12th century
- B.
  
  The 13th century
- C.
  
  The 14th century
7.

What new types of viruses were first discovered in 1931 in the USA?
- A.
  
  Rhinoviruses
- B.
  
  Coronaviruses
- C.
  
  Computer viruses
8.

Who is credited with developing the world’s first vaccine in 1796?
- A.
  
  Edward Jenner, working with cowpox and smallpox
- B.
  
  Louis Pasteur, working with anthrax and chicken cholera
- C.
  
  Maurice Hilleman, working with measles, mumps and many others
9.

The first recorded pandemic took place in Babylon in 1200 BC. Symptoms included cough, fever, shaking, and extreme fatigue. What was the most likely disease?
- A.
  
  Influenza
- B.
  
  Measles
- C.
  
  Typhoid
10.

Which disease was officially declared to be extinct in 1980, having killed 500 million people between 1877 and 1977?
- A.
  
  Smallpox
- B.
  
  Typhoid
- C.
  
  Measles
11.

Which disease was declared to be a pandemic in 1981, and to date has killed at least 32 million people?
- A.
  
  'Mad Cow' disease
- B.
  
  Dengue Fever
- C.
  
  HIV/AIDS
12.

Scientifically speaking, viruses are said to be 'not alive’ – is this true?
- A.
  
  Yes, because they cannot reproduce without a host cell
- B.
  
  No, because they are capable of evolving and mutating
- C.
  
  Both – they are ‘on the edge of life’, because they are neither fully one nor the other
13.

The word ‘quarantine’ comes from ‘quarentena’, which means what?
- A.
  
  Restricted movement
- B.
  
  Solitary confinement
- C.
  
  Forty days and nights in isolation
14.

Which disease, spread by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, was once known as ‘Roman fever’ because of its endemic presence in the Roman Empire?
- A.
  
  Plague
- B.
  
  Malaria
- C.
  
  Influenza
15.

In 1793, an epidemic raged through Philadelphia killing 10% of the population. It particularly attacked the kidneys and liver. What was the disease?
- A.
  
  Yellow Fever
- B.
  
  Dengue Fever
- C.
  
  Saturday Night Fever