[Taxacom] Revised "Deadliest genera to humans"

Tue Feb 11 21:11:46 CST 2020

Thanks Dick,
       I am just getting around to adding Saccharomyces which I promised to add (in my last post this afternoon).  I would note that with over 2 million deaths from alcoholism, the deaths from alcohol-related accidents (about 11,000) wouldn't make a lot of difference in the overall numbers.  Anyway, below I have added Saccharomyces in the first Homo category (bad dietary choices), and changed the number of deaths (from over 11 million) to over 13 million.   That revision is reflected below.
                          ----------------Ken Kinman
P.S.   I might also mention that for yearly worldwide deaths that are NOT the result of the species of one genus (or small group of genera), I would assume that the two major causes would be (1) starvation (about 9 million deaths a year) and (2) old age in adults who were non-smokers and had good dietary choices (but some vital organ just got too old and worn out).  Not sure how many millions would be in that "healthy living elderly" category.  But with the 9 million starvation number, I suppose starvation due to factors like war could be blamed on genus Homo, but starvation due to weather could not be blamed on any genera.

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Homo via bad dietary choices (especially those derived from Saccharomyces, Bos, Zea, Saccharum, and/or Beta, i.e. excess consumption of sugars, alcohol, and/or red meat) (resulting in over 13,000,000 human deaths per year).
Homo via Nicotiana, causing cancers from tobacco smoking and chewing (over 5,000,000 human deaths per year).
Homo (humans killing over 400,000 humans per year, plus about 800,000 suicides, totaling over 1,200,000 deaths per year).
Mycobacterium, especially M. tuberculosis (over 1,200,000 human deaths per year).
Lentavirus, causing HIV infections (over 770,000 deaths per year).
Plasmodium (Anopheles the vector) causing malaria (over 500,000 deaths per year).
Streptococcus, causing pneumonia (about 500,000 deaths per year).
Alphainfluenzavirus, causing flu (290,000-645,000 humans per year).
Norovirus (about 200,000 humans per year).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Schistosoma, causing schistosomiasis (about 200,000 humans in the year 2000; but now lower due to treatment programs?)
Entamoeba, causing amoebic dysentery (50,000-100,000 humans per year).
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________________________________
From: Richard Jensen <rjensen at saintmarys.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 6:53 PM
To: Tony Rees <tonyrees49 at gmail.com>
Cc: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>; taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Revised "Deadliest genera to humans"

Perhaps one has been overlooked.  According to data from several years ago, alcohol produced by several species of Saccharomyces, is responsible for over 2 million deaths annually. I don't recall if that includes deaths resulting from alcohol-related accidents, or represents just those caused by the direct effects of alcohol on bodily functions.
Cheers,
Dick

On Tue, Feb 11, 2020 at 1:18 PM Tony Rees via Taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu<mailto:taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>> wrote:
I am guessing that sharks do not make the list - too low down (shame...)

Actually I remember reading that in Australia at least, more people are
killed by horses (falling off) than are taken by sharks, making the horse
the more deadly animal (!)

Best - Tony

Tony Rees, New South Wales, Australia
https://about.me/TonyRees

On Wed, 12 Feb 2020 at 03:34, Kenneth Kinman via Taxacom <
taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu<mailto:taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>> wrote:

> Hi All,
>          Okay, I agree with the suggestions.  Homo definitely tops the
> list, but I'm splitting it into three categories.
> Revised listing of deadliest genera to humans:
>
> Homo via bad dietary choices (especially from Bos, Zea, Saccharum, and/or
> Beta, i.e. excess sugars and red meat) (over 11,000,000 human deaths per
> year).
> Homo via Nicotiana, causing cancers from tobacco smoking and chewing (over
> 5,000,000 human deaths per year).
> Homo (humans killing over 400,000 humans per year, plus about 800,000
> suicides, totaling over 1,200,000 deaths per year).
> Mycobacterium, especially M. tuberculosis (over 1,200,000 human deaths per
> year).
> Lentavirus, causing HIV infections (over 770,000 deaths per year).
> Plasmodium (Anopheles the vector) causing malaria (over 500,000 deaths per
> year).
> Streptococcus, causing pneumonia (about 500,000 deaths per year).
> Alphainfluenzavirus, causing flu (290,000-645,000 humans per year).
> Norovirus (about 200,000 humans per year).
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Schistosoma, causing schistosomiasis (about 200,000 humans in the year
> 2000; but now lower due to treatment programs?)
> Entamoeba, causing amoebic dysentery (50,000-100,000 humans per year).
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
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--
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