The top 10 most costly viruses
As the world becomes more and more connected, the risk of contracting a virus also increases. There are a number of virulent and costly viruses out there, and below is a list of the top 10 most costly viruses:
1. Ebola virus – First appearing in 1976 in Sudan and Zaire, the Ebola virus is one of the most feared viruses in the world. The Ebola virus is extremely contagious and can cause hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding from the eyes, nose, and gums. In some cases, the virus can also lead to organ failure and death. The Ebola virus has caused a number of outbreaks in Africa, with the most recent occurring in 2014. The 2014 outbreak spread to a number of countries, including the United States, and resulted in over 28,000 infections and 11,000 deaths.
2. Zika virus – First appearing in Africa in the 1940s, the Zika virus is most commonly spread by mosquitoes. The Zika virus can cause a number of birth defects, including microcephaly (a condition where babies are born with abnormally small heads), if pregnant women are infected. The virus has spread rapidly in recent years, with large outbreaks occurring in Brazil and other countries in South America. The Zika virus has also been linked to a number of other health problems, including Guillain-Barré syndrome.
3. HIV/AIDS – First appearing in the early 1980s, HIV/AIDS has since become a global pandemic. HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, making the person infected susceptible to other infections and diseases, which can eventually lead to AIDS. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, and can dramatically reduce the lifespan of those infected. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are treatments available that can prolong the life of those infected.
4. SARS – First appearing in China in 2002, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is a viral respiratory illness. SARS is caused by a coronavirus, and symptoms include fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing. In some cases, SARS can lead to pneumonia, which can be fatal. The SARS outbreak of 2002-2004 resulted in over 8,000 infections and 774 deaths.
5. influenza – A common virus that affects the respiratory system, influenza, or “the flu”, is highly contagious and can cause severe illness, particularly in young children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions. Influenza often results in hospitalization, and in some cases, death. Influenza pandemics (widespread global outbreaks) have occurred three times in the 20th century, and most recently in 2009 with the H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic.
6. West Nile virus – First appearing in the United States in 1999, West Nile virus is most commonly spread by mosquitoes. The virus can cause fevers, headaches, and in some cases, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus, and in some cases, the virus can be fatal.
7. hepatitis C – A viral infection of the liver, hepatitis C is most commonly spread through contact with blood from an infected person. Hepatitis C can cause a number of symptoms, including fatigue, nausea, and jaundice. In some cases, the virus can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. There is no cure for hepatitis C, but there are treatments available that can slow the progression of the disease.
8. dengue fever – A viral illness spread by mosquitoes, dengue fever is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Dengue fever can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, headaches, and muscle and joint pain. In some cases, dengue fever can lead to Dengue hemorrhagic fever, a more severe form of the illness that can be fatal.
9. chikungunya – Another viral illness spread by mosquitoes, chikungunya, is most commonly found in Africa, Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Chikungunya can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, joint pain, and muscle aches. In some cases, chikungunya can lead to joint swelling and arthritis. There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, and in some cases, the virus can be fatal.
10. enterovirus D68 – A fairly new virus, enterovirus D68, was first identified in the United States in 2014. The virus is most commonly spread through contact with respiratory secretions, and can cause a range of respiratory symptoms, including fever, runny nose, and coughing. In some cases, enterovirus D68 can lead to more severe respiratory illness, including difficulty breathing. There is no specific treatment for enterovirus D68, and the virus is currently considered a public health concern..View it
The most dangerous email viruses
Email viruses are malicious programs that spread themselves by attaching themselves to email messages and infecting the computers of the people who receive and open those messages. Email viruses are usually spread by email attachments, and they can cause a lot of damage to your computer if you open them.
Some of the most dangerous email viruses include the following:
1. ILOVEYOU
The ILOVEYOU virus is one of the most damaging and widespread email viruses of all time. It first appeared in 2000 and quickly spread around the world, causing billions of dollars in damage. The ILOVEYOU virus infected millions of computers and caused havoc by deleting files, corrupting data, and sending itself out to everyone in the infected person’s address book.
2. MyDoom
MyDoom is another damaging email virus that first appeared in 2004. It is estimated to have caused billions of dollars in damage. MyDoom is a worm that Spreads itself by email and by exploiting a security flaw in Microsoft Windows. It can delete files, steal information, and allow remote access to the infected computer.
3. Sality
Sality is a virus that infects executable files and can spread itself through removable media such as USB drives. It first appeared in 2009 and has since been used to create botnets (networks of infected computers) that are used to carry out Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Sality can also steal information and disable security software.
4. Cryptolocker
Cryptolocker is a type of malware that encrypts files on the infected computer and demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. It first appeared in 2013 and has since spread to many other computers. Cryptolocker can encrypt important files such as documents, photos, and videos. It can also spread to other computers on the same network.
5. Emotet
Emotet is a type of malware that is spread through email attachments and can infect your computer if you open the attachment. It can steal information such as login details and banking information. Emotet first appeared in 2014 and has since evolved into a sophisticated and dangerous piece of malware.
Email viruses are dangerous because they can cause a lot of damage to your computer. They can delete files, corrupt data, and steal information. They can also spread to other computers on the same network. It is important to be careful when opening email attachments, and to have up-to-date anti-virus software installed on your computer.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about what was the most dangerous computer virus. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.
