Volume 16, Number 2—February 2010
Historical Review
New Hypothesis for Cause of Epidemic among Native Americans, New England, 1616–1619
John S. Marr
and John T. Cathey
and John T. CatheyTable 2
Factors related to some of the postulated causes of an epidemic among Native Americans, New England, 1616–1619*
| Factor | Yellow fever | Plague | Influenza | Smallpox | Chickenpox | Typhus | HBV/HDV | Leptospirosis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic signs and symptoms | ||||||||
| Headache/fever | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jaundice | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hemorrhages | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Skin lesions† |
Bruises |
Buboes |
No |
Pustules |
Rash |
Rash |
No |
Rash |
| Epidemiologic | ||||||||
| High attack rate | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes‡ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| High death rate | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Endemic in Europe | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Suitable arthropod vector | No | Yes | NA | NA | NA | Yes | NA | NA |
| Suitable reservoir host | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Native susceptibility | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| European susceptibility | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
*HBV, hepatitis B virus; HDV, hepatitis D virus; NA, not applicable.
†Sign mentioned by only 1 person (Thomas Dermer) and possibly referred to another unrelated disease outbreak.
‡Native Americans only.
