Most important vaccines in history: polio, MMR, smallpox, etc.



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  • Some of the most important vaccines in history include the vaccines against polio, MMR and smallpox.
  • Vaccines have been around since the late 18th century and have saved countless lives since then.
  • Today, the WHO estimates that vaccines save around 2-3 million lives each year.
  • Visit Insider’s Health Reference Library for more tips.

For many scientists around the world, the year 2020 has been a race to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus. Designing and testing a vaccine is a slow process – but once a vaccine is available it can slow the spread of infection and disease.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is living testimony to the need for vaccines,” says Kirsten Hokeness, PhD, professor and chair of the science and technology department at Bryant University.

Any vaccine is a success. Some, however, stand out for their historical significance. Here are five of the most important vaccines ever developed:

Smallpox vaccine

Smallpox was the first effective vaccine, developed in 1796 by Edward Jenner. “Jenner really popularized the procedure, which made it a common practice,” Hokeness explains.

The WHO describes smallpox as “one of the deadliest diseases known to humans”. This virus causes flu-like symptoms followed by pus-filled blisters on your body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Hokeness notes that historically it has killed three in 10 people who contracted the disease.

Smallpox is the only disease ever to be eradicated in the world. This means that nowadays no one gets the smallpox vaccine – it is no longer necessary. This elimination of the disease “is one of the greatest international achievements in public health,” says Hokeness.

The polio vaccine

When the polio vaccine became available, people lined up around the block to get it, says Joseph Comber, PhD, professor of biology at Villanova University.

“Visions of children using iron lungs to survive are definitely rooted in our history of infectious disease,” Hokeness says.

Children are particularly at risk of polio, a highly contagious virus that is spread through contact with an infected person, as well as through contaminated food and water, Hokeness says. In some people with polio, it can lead to paralysis, which can be permanent, according to the WHO.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children receive four doses of the polio vaccine, starting at two months of age. There have been no new cases of polio in the United States since 1979, Hokeness says. Worldwide, the number of cases has also declined – in 2018 there were only 33 cases.

MMR vaccine

Today, children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella – one between 12 and 15 months, and a second dose between 4 and 6 years old. The vaccine is very effective against measles, which is a very contagious respiratory virus.

“It’s so contagious that if a person has it, up to 90% of people around them will also be infected if they are not protected,” notes the CDC.

And the consequences are serious: Measles can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and, in some cases, death, Hokeness says. Measles vaccines became available in 1963. Before vaccines were available, 3-4 million people contracted measles each year.

In 2000, thanks to widely available and effective vaccinations, measles was declared eradicated in the United States. More recently, however, measles outbreaks have started to recur. In 2019, there were 1,282 cases of measles in the United States, according to the CDC.

This is the result of a few factors. Some vaccines, like measles, offer waning immunity, and you may need to get a booster, which is a follow-up vaccine that complements the initial vaccine. In addition, misconceptions about vaccines have led some parents not to vaccinate their children, and since the virus is not eradicated worldwide, travel to hot spots can lead to epidemics.

“The recurrent outbreaks of this disease have also fostered the overwhelming need for vaccines to protect our population and the risks we face if we don’t get vaccinated,” says Hokeness.

The Tdap vaccine

The Tdap vaccine protects against three diseases: tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. These three diseases are caused by bacteria and can be fatal.

Whooping cough – better known as whooping cough – can be life-threatening for babies, although it is not as serious for adults. Until they are old enough to be vaccinated, “infants rely on everyone around them being vaccinated against whooping cough,” says Comber, who considers the whooping cough vaccine to be particularly good. important.

During each pregnancy, women should receive the Tdap vaccine, as vaccination can help protect the baby. Anyone who will be near a baby – friends, family, healthcare professionals, daycare workers, etc. – must also make sure to have this vaccine and any necessary booster.

Before pertussis vaccinations, about 200,000 American children fell ill with it every year, and about 9,000 children died from the disease. Now, according to the CDC, there are only about 10,000 to 40,000 cases per year and very few deaths.

The HPV vaccine

The history of the HPV vaccine is not that long ago – this vaccine first became available in 2006. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, with 14 millions of Americans contracting HPV each year.

There are many strains of this virus – some of them are linked to cancer, including cancer of the cervix, cancer of the penis, and cancers of the back of the throat. Vaccination resulted in a 29% decrease in cervical cancer, according to a 2018 study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“This vaccine is one of the closest things we have to a cure for cancer,” Hokeness says. The HPV vaccine is given in two or three doses to children and adolescents – getting the vaccine at a young age, before sex, is what makes it effective.

Takeaway from the insider

Vaccines are important because they save lives. For example, the WHO estimates that vaccinations save 2 to 3 million lives each year from diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis, measles and influenza.

However, the effectiveness of vaccines depends on whether everyone keeps getting them – as some vaccines are not safe to give before the age of 12 months.

“Getting the vaccine is very important – not only are you protecting yourself and your children, but you are also protecting other people in the community,” Comber says.

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