Final answer:
The author who died at the age of 25 from tuberculosis was Giovanni Boccaccio's son, Giovanni. His death in 1361 was part of the wider context of rampant infectious diseases, including the plague, which heavily affected populations during that epoch.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author who died at the age of 25 from tuberculosis (TB) was Giovanni Boccaccio's son, also named Giovanni. This unfortunate event occurred during a time when tuberculosis, one of the deadliest infectious diseases in human history, was rampant. The younger Giovanni's life was chronicled by his father, with his death occurring in the year 1361. At this time, plague was also devastating populations, and Boccaccio's detailed accounts serve as a historical record of the personal and social impacts of these infectious diseases.
Overcrowding contributed significantly to the spread of tuberculosis, especially in industrial cities. The poor suffered most as they lived in areas where overcrowding was at its worst, which facilitated the transmission of TB. It should be noted that tuberculosis and plague are distinct diseases, but their historical overlap in causing high mortality rates is clear.