Plagues and epidemics have ravaged humanity throughout its existence, often changing the course of history.
- Prehistoric epidemic: Circa 3000 B.C.
- Plague of Athens: 430 B.C.
- Antonine Plague: A.D. 165-180
- Plague of Cyprian: A.D. 250-271
- Plague of Justinian: A.D. 541-542
- The Black Death: 1346-1353
- Cocoliztli epidemic: 1545-1548
- American Plagues: 16th century
- Great Plague of London: 1665-1666
- Great Plague of Marseille: 1720-1723
- Russian plague: 1770-1772
- Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic: 1793
- Flu pandemic: 1889-1890
- American polio epidemic: 1916
- Spanish Flu: 1918-1920
- Asian Flu: 1957-1958
- AIDS pandemic and epidemic: 1981-present day
- H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic: 2009-2010
- West African Ebola epidemic: 2014-2016
- Zika Virus epidemic: 2015-present day