Vaccination Has Evolved Over the Years

by | Aug 31, 2018 | Community | 0 comments

There is historical evidence of vaccination going back hundreds of years. Thanks to vaccine recommendations made by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most of today’s children are protected from illnesses such as measles, mumps, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis or even chickenpox. Medicine has evolved from a single vaccine to the 16-plus standard vaccines today that continue to save lives and prevent illnesses.

Vaccination Began With an Observation

The smallpox vaccine is the most famous early example of immunization, and it is the first recorded successful vaccine. In 1796, Edward Jenner theorized that introducing the cowpox virus to a patient would protect them from the smallpox virus.

At the time, smallpox was a deadly epidemic that had plagued the world for centuries. Jenner noticed that milkmaids were immune from the effects of the virus. He also noticed that they would sometimes get lesions on their hands after milking cows affected by cowpox.

Believing the two to be connected, Jenner infected a young boy with cowpox, then later exposed the boy to the smallpox virus. The boy did not get sick. Soon after, the first smallpox vaccine was developed.

Thanks to a concerted worldwide effort, the last recorded case of naturally occurring smallpox was in 1977 in Somalia. The World Health Organization declared the virus officially eradicated in 1979.

Vaccinations Continued to Develop

Many vaccines have been developed since Jenner’s smallpox discovery. There are vaccines for cholera, tetanus, diphtheria and more. Perhaps one of the greatest vaccine triumphs of the 20th century was the polio vaccine, which led to the eradication of polio in many countries.

Today, the CDC recommends that children be immunized starting in infancy to protect them from getting 16 common childhood illnesses. They include MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), DtaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), IPV (polio), Hib, HepA and HepB (hepatitis), pneumococcal, meningococcal, chickenpox, rotavirus, flu and most recently HPV.

The Future of Vaccinations

Although the primary purpose of vaccines is to protect individuals from illness, the broader goal is the complete eradication of the pathogen. As long as a virus or bacterium exists, there is a danger of an outbreak.

Newer vaccines address more than just immediately acute illnesses, like smallpox. For instance, the Gardasil vaccine prevents the spread of HPV, a virus that was linked to certain types of cancer.

By eliminating or reducing this disease through vaccination, future generations will be less likely to develop this cancer. Additionally, testing for a cancer vaccine is underway. Imagine a world without cancer. Surreal, isn’t it?

Remember, some people cannot receive certain vaccinations for various health reasons, and as a result, they may be at risk of exposure to viruses like measles and pertussis.

However, if enough people are vaccinated, viruses are less likely to spread throughout a community. Better yet, if through vaccination a virus is completely eradicated, it can no longer harm anyone, including those unable to receive the vaccination.

If you have questions about vaccines, talk to your doctor. If you don’t have access to a primary care physician, you can also contact the Pinellas County Health Department for information about the immunization program.