How was smallpox eradicated?

How was smallpox eradicated?

Smallpox has existed for at least 3000 years and was one of the world’s most feared diseases until it was eradicated by a collaborative global vaccination programme led by the World Health Organization. The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977.

What do you mean by eradication of disease?

Eradication means that intervention measures are no longer required, the agent, which previously caused the disease is no longer present. Elimination of a disease refers to the deliberate effort that leads to the reduction to zero of the incidence of infection caused by a specific agent in a defined geographic area.

What is the difference between eradication and elimination?

Eradication refers to the reduction to zero (or a very low defined target rate) of new cases in a defined geographical area. C. Elimination refers to the complete and permanent worldwide reduction to zero new cases of the disease through deliberate efforts.

When did who eradicated smallpox?

Almost two centuries after Jenner hoped that vaccination could annihilate smallpox, the 33rd World Health Assembly declared the world free of this disease on May 8, 1980. Many people consider smallpox eradication to be the biggest achievement in international public health.

Why was smallpox easily eradicated?

Several biological reasons favored the eradication of smallpox, the most important of which were probably that recurrent infectivity did not occur, that there was no animal reservoir, and that an effective stable vaccine was available.

Does the smallpox virus still exist?

Currently, there is no evidence of naturally occurring smallpox transmission anywhere in the world. Although a worldwide immunization program eradicated smallpox disease decades ago, small quantities of smallpox virus officially still exist in two research laboratories in Atlanta, Georgia, and in Russia.

Why is disease eradication important?

Disease eradication improves human well-being and saves lives, but so do many other health initiatives. And not all diseases are candidates for elimination or eradication; they must meet a wide range of criteria, some of which the panelists discussed.

How do you eradicate a disease in pandemic?

Place that disease’s cure marker on its cure indicator on the board. Once there are no cubes of a cured disease left on the board, that disease is eradicated. Flip the vial over to show the eradicated symbol.

Why it is important of elimination and eradication?

Eradication and ongoing programmes constitute potentially complementary approaches to public health. Elimination and eradication are the ultimate goals of public health, evolving naturally from disease control. The basic question is whether these goals are to be achieved in the present or some future generation.

What is an example of eradicate?

To eradicate is defined as to completely destroy or wipe something out. An example of to eradicate is what an exterminator does to the fleas in your house. The definition of eradicate is to pull something out by the roots. An example of to eradicate is to take out all the dandelions from a garden.

Who eradicated smallpox?

On 9 December 1979, a global commission certified that smallpox had been eradicated, and this certification was officially accepted by the 33rd World Health Assembly in 1980.

When did smallpox start and end?

After a final outbreak in the United States in 1949, the virus was declared eradicated in 1980 following a successful vaccination program regarded as one of the greatest triumphs of modern medicine. Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus.