In 1486, Venice established the first Quarantine Board to manage health threats posed by the plague, formalizing earlier quarantine practices from the 14th century. This move was crucial in controlling the spread of infectious diseases and reflected the city's growing awareness of public health. The establishment of quarantine measures in Venice set a precedent for future health regulations and responses to epidemics.

Venice's role as a gatekeeper of health and trade influenced its portrayal in literature as a place of both exotic danger and sophisticated order, featuring prominently in Shakespeare’s 'Othello' and 'The Merchant of Venice' as a site of tension between law and passion.