Jun 20, 2024 · Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family. It was one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity and caused millions of deaths before it was eradicated.

Jun 28, 2016 · Since smallpox was eradicated, the vaccine is not recommended in routine immunization. It is used to protect researchers who work on the variola virus that causes smallpox and other viruses in the same virus family (known as orthopox viruses). It could also be used to protect anyone else judged to have a high risk of exposure to smallpox.

Vaccination led to smallpox elimination in western Europe, North America and Japan. In the absence of a large-scale coordinated international programme, the disease persisted in other areas. In 1958, the World Health Assembly called for the global eradication of smallpox – the permanent reduction to zero cases – without risk of reintroduction.

Apr 17, 2020 · Smallpox existed for thousands of years, killed millions, and was fatal in up to 30% of cases. 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.

Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by variola virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus family. Smallpox, which is believed to have originated over 3,000 years ago in India or Egypt, was one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity

May 1, 2010 · Smallpox was officially declared eradicated in 1980 and is the first disease to have been fought on a global scale. This extraordinary achievement was accomplished through the collaboration of countries around the world. At the end of the 1960s, smallpox was still endemic in Africa and Asia.

Aug 5, 2020 · On 8 May 1980, the 33rd World Health Assembly officially declared: ‘The world and all its peoples have won freedom from smallpox.’ The declaration marked the end of a disease that had plagued humanity for at least 3 000 years, killing 300 million people in the 20th century alone. It was ended, thanks to a 10-year global effort, spearheaded by the World Health …

Jan 3, 2014 · The Smallpox Vaccine Emergency Stockpile (SVES) was originally created by consolidating WHO Member State donations given in support of the Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme. In 2002, World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 55.16 urged Member States to share expertise, supplies and resources to rapidly contain a public health emergency ...

Smallpox is a disease which can be easily diagnosed by trained health workers without the need for laboratory support. During the eradication campaign, WHO produced training materials designed to help health staff recognize smallpox, distinguish it from chickenpox, and avoid common diagnostic errors.

Jul 19, 2016 · At the time, smallpox was killing as many as two million people, and infecting another 15 million, each year. Yet, like in the series, Henderson and his team at the World Health Organization defied expectations. In just over a decade, smallpox became the first – and, so far, the only – infectious human disease ever to be fully eradicated.