About this Research Topic

Background

Infectious diseases have plagued humanity for millennia, leaving an indelible mark on religious texts that reflect the lived experiences of ancient civilizations. From the Bible to the Quran to the Torah and beyond, these sacred scriptures contain references to illnesses that bear resemblance to tropical diseases prevalent in regions with warm climates.

The Bible contains several passages alluding to diseases likely to be tropical maladies. For instance, in Exodus, the affliction of boils upon the Egyptians during the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 9:8-12) might resemble conditions like cutaneous leishmaniasis or other skin infections common in tropical regions. In the Roman Catholic Church, between 999 and 1644 AD, 21 of 99 popes were affected by malaria (21.4%) and 15 died, mostly from northern European countries

In the Quran, the holy book of Islam, the Surah Al-A'raf, references to a punishment afflicting Pharaoh's people, described as "floods and locusts, lice and frogs, and blood as distinct signs" (Quran 7:133). While not explicitly stated, some interpretations suggest that these afflictions could represent various diseases including those endemic to tropical regions.

In the Torah, the central reference of Judaism, ancient perceptions of diseases in the Near East are reported. In Leviticus, there are detailed descriptions of skin diseases like leprosy (Leviticus 13), which could be likened to tropical skin ailments. Moreover, Deuteronomy mentions "the burning heat and the fever" as consequences of disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:22), possibly alluding to tropical fevers prevalent in the region.

In Hinduism, the Atharvaveda, one of the four Vedas, discusses illnesses and remedies, some of which could pertain to tropical diseases endemic to the Indian subcontinent. Similarly, traditional African religions often incorporate beliefs and practices related to combating endemic diseases prevalent in tropical climates.

The presence of references to diseases resembling tropical ailments in various religious texts underscores the enduring impact of such afflictions on human societies throughout history. These references not only offer insights into ancient perceptions of health and illness but also reflect the resilience and adaptability of communities in the face of endemic challenges. Finally, infectious and tropical disease have largely driven the Darwinian evolution of human species and religions have played a pivotal role to adapt, prepare and respond human societies to infectious alert signs in case of single and aggregated cases, up to face large outbreaks.

This Research Topic aims to explore the epidemiology, prevalence, emergence, treatment, and unusual presentations of any infectious and tropical diseases reported in the Holy books or in the history of main human religions, and therefore encourages submissions related, but not limited to, the following topics:
• Narrative description of infectious tropical diseases;
• Mitigation procedures and infection control measures to reduce the impact of infectious tropical diseases;
• Unusual case findings.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Infectious tropical diseases, holy texts, bible, quran, torah

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