Nine stories to commemorate the 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication
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WHO recently commemorated the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, which killed
300 million people in the 20th century — and many more before that — before its eradication in 1979.
The smallpox eradication program provided lessons in “disease surveillance, the benefits of ring vaccination and the importance of health promotion” that are seen today in the fight against Ebola and polio, and “laid the foundation for stronger national immunization programs worldwide,” WHO said.
“When it comes to epidemic disease, we have a shared responsibility and a shared destiny,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, MSc, said in a news release.
To mark the occasion, Healio compiled a group of stories detailing other efforts to control, eliminate or eradicate infectious diseases that have had a profound impact on human health around the world. – by Marley Ghizzone
Global report shows again that progress against malaria has slowed
Many low-burden countries are on their way to eliminating malaria, but progress has slowed in recent years and there has been no improvement in the rate of infections in the countries with the highest burden of the disease, according to the annual World Malaria Report. Read more.
Study: Malaria eradication achievable by 2050
Still, Malaria eradication — “a goal of epic proportions” — is achievable by or before 2050 through a variety of strategies, according to a paper published in The Lancet. Read more.
WHO report highlights ‘remarkable achievements’ in neglected tropical diseases
According to a WHO report, “remarkable achievements” have been made recently in combatting neglected tropical diseases. Read more.
Total community treatment with azithromycin effective in yaws reduction
A single round of total community treatment with azithromycin — a centerpiece of the WHO plan to eradicate yaws — was effective in reducing the prevalence of yaws 12 months after treatment in a subdistrict of Ghana endemic for the disease, according to study results published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Read more.
WHO committee estimates eradication of polio in Nigeria within the year
Nigeria will likely eradicate polio by the end of 2019, according to WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunizations. Once the country reaches 3 years of being polio-free, only two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan — will still have local transmission of the virus. Read more.
Goal to eliminate HCV by 2030 will be ‘narrowly missed’
As defined by WHO targets, the goal to eliminate hepatitis C virus globally by 2030 will be “narrowly missed,” but is possible by 2032 using new tools and “ambitious, integrated interventions,” study findings showed. Read more.
Trump announces 10-year plan to end HIV epidemic in US
During his second State of the Union address, President Donald J. Trump asked for a bipartisan commitment to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030 — a call that was met with skepticism by some experts. Read more.
Researchers ‘encouraged’ by early data from universal flu vaccine study
Researchers were “encouraged” by the interim results from a phase 1 study of a novel influenza vaccine approach they hope will one day protect patients from both seasonal and pandemic influenza. Read more.
African leaders make neglected tropical diseases a top health priority
African leaders made a public commitment to treat neglected tropical diseases as a top health priority on the same level as malaria. Read more.
Reference:
WHO. WHO commemorates the 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/13-12-2019-who-commemorates-the-40th-anniversary-of-smallpox-eradication. Accessed December 19, 2019.