clipped from: www.foreignpolicy.com   
The List: Five Disease Outbreaks That Are Worse Than Swine Flu
CHOLERA

What is it?  An acute diarrheal infection that can lead to death from dehydration or severe kidney failure. Unlike other diarrheal diseases, it is often deadly in both children and adults.

SPINAL MENINGITIS
hat is it? An infection of the fluid around the spinal cord and brain. Severe cases of bacterial meningitis can result in brain damage or death if not treated quickly.

AIDS

What is it? A disease affecting the human immune system, making individuals more susceptible to deadly infections. AIDS has killed 25 million people around the world since 1981.

EBOLA
DENGUE FEVER

What is it? An infection spread by mosquitoes that causes acute muscle and joint pain.  Cases are generally non-lethal but dengue occasionally results in a deadly hemorrhagic fever.

What is it? A severe viral disease in humans and primates that causes fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases internal bleeding and skin rash.