Nosoi

Current Year: 1510 The Colombian Exchange heralds a roughly opposite effect than it does in our universe in terms of the spread of communicable diseases, at least in the immediate sense.

Europeans arriving from the “Old World” to the “New World” of the Americas carrying Measles or Smallpox with them or with their livestock initially have a minor effect on the native populations, who through unknown means may have had their populations exposed to the contagions centuries before, resulting in partial-immunity for their descendants. While eventually suffering the inevitable disastrous effects of these diseases similarly to what happened in our universe, the spread of epidemics happen much more slowly. Conversely, contact with natives of South America and their livestock that is returned with the explorers ultimately have a catastrophic effect on Europe. Returning Spanish Conquistadors and the livestock and fruit they bring with them results in the spread of Dengue Fever, Hepatitis, Typhoid Fever, Schistosomiasis, Endemic Syphilis, Chagas Disease and especially Malaria in Spain in the early 1500’s, exacerbated by the mosquito population present in the warm South-European climate.

These diseases rapidly spread to other European nations, causing a major multi-disease pandemic that results in a 5% to 7% drop in the total population of Europe. Counties as far away as Ireland, Norway and Poland are affected to varying degrees of severity. Spain itself eventually loses 10% of the nation’s total population to disease in what is the single worst disaster to hit the populations of Europe since the spread of the Black Plague 150 years earlier. This instability results in the degeneration of already strained relationships between certain European powers, and by 1510 war between several nations threatens to add to the rapidly rising death-toll.