diff --git a/Init.cpp b/Init.cpp
index 15cdbada..5e2a116e 100644
--- a/Init.cpp
+++ b/Init.cpp
@@ -371,7 +371,16 @@ BOOLEAN LoadExternalGameplayData(STR directoryName)
 
 	strcpy( fileName, directoryName );
 	strcat( fileName, DISEASEFILENAME );
-	SGP_THROW_IFFALSE( ReadInDiseaseStats( fileName ), DISEASEFILENAME );
+	SGP_THROW_IFFALSE( ReadInDiseaseStats( fileName,FALSE ), DISEASEFILENAME );
+
+#ifndef ENGLISH
+	AddLanguagePrefix(fileName);
+	if ( FileExists(fileName) )
+	{
+		DebugMsg (TOPIC_JA2,DBG_LEVEL_3,String("LoadExternalGameplayData, fileName = %s", fileName));
+		SGP_THROW_IFFALSE(ReadInDiseaseStats(fileName,TRUE), DISEASEFILENAME);
+	}
+#endif
 
 	strcpy(fileName, directoryName);
 	strcat(fileName, STRUCTUREDECONSTRUCTFILENAME);
diff --git a/Tactical/XML.h b/Tactical/XML.h
index 02785d11..34ab93b1 100644
--- a/Tactical/XML.h
+++ b/Tactical/XML.h
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ extern BOOLEAN ReadInFoodOpinionStats(STR fileName);
 extern BOOLEAN WriteFoodOpinionStats();
 
 // Flugente: disease
-extern BOOLEAN ReadInDiseaseStats( STR fileName );
+BOOLEAN ReadInDiseaseStats( STR fileName, BOOLEAN localizedVersion );
 extern BOOLEAN WriteDiseaseStats( );
 
 // Flugente: structure (de-)construct
diff --git a/Tactical/XML_Disease.cpp b/Tactical/XML_Disease.cpp
index f5c521b2..27f95046 100644
--- a/Tactical/XML_Disease.cpp
+++ b/Tactical/XML_Disease.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ struct
 }
 typedef parseData;
 
+BOOLEAN localizedTextOnly_Disease;
+
 static void XMLCALL
 diseaseStartElementHandle( void *userData, const XML_Char *name, const XML_Char **atts )
 {
@@ -33,8 +35,9 @@ diseaseStartElementHandle( void *userData, const XML_Char *name, const XML_Char
 		if ( strcmp( name, "DISEASESLIST" ) == 0 && pData->curElement == ELEMENT_NONE )
 		{
 			pData->curElement = ELEMENT_LIST;
-
-			memset( pData->curArray, 0, sizeof(DISEASE)*pData->maxArraySize );
+			
+			if ( !localizedTextOnly_Disease )
+				memset( pData->curArray, 0, sizeof(DISEASE)*pData->maxArraySize );
 
 			pData->maxReadDepth++; //we are not skipping this element
 		}
@@ -42,7 +45,8 @@ diseaseStartElementHandle( void *userData, const XML_Char *name, const XML_Char
 		{
 			pData->curElement = ELEMENT;
 
-			memset( &pData->curItem, 0, sizeof(DISEASE) );
+			if ( !localizedTextOnly_Disease )
+				memset( &pData->curItem, 0, sizeof(DISEASE) );
 
 			// default value
 			pData->curItem.moralemodifier = 1.0f;
@@ -135,7 +139,16 @@ diseaseEndElementHandle( void *userData, const XML_Char *name )
 			// we do NOT want to read the first entry -> move stuff by 1
 			if ( pData->curItem.uiIndex < pData->maxArraySize )
 			{
-				pData->curArray[pData->curItem.uiIndex] = pData->curItem; //write the food into the table
+				if (localizedTextOnly_Disease)
+				{
+					wcscpy(Disease[pData->curItem.uiIndex].szName, pData->curItem.szName);
+					wcscpy(Disease[pData->curItem.uiIndex].szFatName, pData->curItem.szFatName);
+					wcscpy(Disease[pData->curItem.uiIndex].szDescription, pData->curItem.szDescription);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					pData->curArray[pData->curItem.uiIndex] = pData->curItem;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		else if ( strcmp( name, "uiIndex" ) == 0 )
@@ -362,7 +375,7 @@ diseaseEndElementHandle( void *userData, const XML_Char *name )
 }
 
 
-BOOLEAN ReadInDiseaseStats( STR fileName )
+BOOLEAN ReadInDiseaseStats( STR fileName, BOOLEAN localizedVersion )
 {
 	HWFILE		hFile;
 	UINT32		uiBytesRead;
@@ -374,6 +387,8 @@ BOOLEAN ReadInDiseaseStats( STR fileName )
 
 	DebugMsg( TOPIC_JA2, DBG_LEVEL_3, "Loading Disease.xml" );
 
+	localizedTextOnly_Disease = localizedVersion;
+
 	// Open foods file
 	hFile = FileOpen( fileName, FILE_ACCESS_READ, FALSE );
 	if ( !hFile )