Smallpox Vaccine History India, A Brief History Of Vaccines Vaccination In India

In response to the situation in 1962 the government of india launched the national smallpox eradication program nsep with a focus on mass vaccination of the population.

Hepatitis c vaccine price in pakistan. The politics of disease. The earliest written description of a disease that clearly resembles smallpox appeared in china in the 4 th century ce common era. The origin of smallpox is unknown.

Smallpox is thought to date back to the egyptian empire around the 3 rd century bce before common era based on a smallpox like rash found on three mummies. Of greater concern was that particular strain of smallpox found in india was far more deadly than the strains found in west africa. Regardless of a thirty year history in which united states federal officials accepted responsibilites for preventative health care for native americans vaccination protection for smallpox was not offered to native americans until 1832 after millions of non native peoples.

Early written descriptions also appeared in india. A malabar southern indian woman representing smallpox description. In 1796 the british doctor edward jenner demonstrated that an infection with the relatively mild cowpox virus conferred immunity against the deadly smallpox virus.

The history of smallpox holds a unique place in human health and medicine. There are vaccine stocks but not enough to vaccinate the world. The smallpox vaccine was the first vaccine to be developed against a contagious disease.

Introduction the rapid eradication of smallpox from the place that was for many years the worlds principal endemic focus of the disease ie india has been singled out as one of the great victories in the history of public health. Cowpox served as a natural vaccine until the modern smallpox vaccine emerged in the 19th century. Only twelve months separated a peak of more than 8000 infected villages in may 1974 and 188000 cases in that year from the last indigenous case in may.

Most doctors have never seen a smallpox case in their lives and most health workers have not been trained to handle one. The history of inoculation and vaccination for the prevention and treatment of disease. One of the deadliest diseases known to humans smallpox is also the only human disease to have been eradicated by vaccination.

Routine vaccination has not been performed in forty years and most of the public is susceptible. A new smallpox epidemic is a nightmare to contemplate. A brief historical perspective on smallpox disease and preventive efforts since antiquity is followed by an overview of 19 th century efforts to replace variolation by vaccination setting up of a few vaccine institutes cholera vaccine trial and the discovery of plague vaccine.

The british government claimed success and began to block use of the previous technology variolation to only recommend vaccination instead. A malaba southern indian woman invoking the goddess of smallpox and carrying fire on her head symbolic of the disease.