Tag

Smallpox

All articles tagged with #smallpox

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Secrets Unearthed: Medieval Spain’s Hidden Underground Society Revealed

Archaeologists at the Las Gobas caves in northern Spain uncovered 33 skeletons from a secluded 7th–11th‑century troglodyte community that lived largely underground, showing widespread inbreeding, signs of violent trauma, and a smallpox outbreak likely spread through contaminated pork; isolation and resource pressures likely contributed to the site's abandonment by the late 11th century, after which the caves became a necropolis.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#inbreeding #las-gobas #medieval-spain

obituaries1 month ago•21 min saved

The ring vaccination pioneer who helped end smallpox

William H. Foege, a physician-epidemiologist, led the global eradication of smallpox via ring vaccination, conducting pivotal campaigns in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and India before directing the CDC and shaping HIV and broader public-health efforts; he died at 89.

via The Times|

#epidemiology #obituaries #public-health

public-health2 months ago•43 min saved

The ring vaccination that ended smallpox—and the man who led it

William Foege pioneered ring vaccination, a targeted strategy that stopped smallpox by vaccinating the right people around cases, transforming a centuries-old killer into a disease we no longer fear; his death underscores the danger of letting proven public-health progress fade as measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases resurge.

via vox.com|

#eradication #public-health #ring-vaccination

health2 months ago•7 min saved

The Quiet Strategy That Ended Smallpox Worldwide

An op-ed tribute recounts how Bill Foege’s surveillance-containment method—proactive case finding, isolating cases, and vaccinating contacts—helped eradicate smallpox worldwide, including pivotal efforts in India after initial mass-vaccination resistance, and cemented a lasting legacy for public health.

via The Washington Post|

#bill-foege #eradication #health

health2 months ago•1 min saved

Architect of Smallpox Eradication Dies at 89

William H. Foege, whose vaccination strategy helped eradicate smallpox in the 1970s and who later directed the CDC during the early AIDS response, died at 89 in Atlanta from congestive heart failure. His work is hailed as a landmark in global health; he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

via The New York Times|

#cdc #health #obituary

health7 months ago•5 min saved

Unmasking the Tactics and Risks of the Anti-Vaccine Movement

The article explores the long history of vaccine skepticism, dating back to the 1800s, highlighting how opposition has often been rooted in concerns over personal freedom and misinformation, despite vaccines' proven effectiveness in eradicating diseases like smallpox and saving millions of lives.

via BBC|

#anti-vaccine #health #history

health-history2 years ago•11 min saved

"Smallpox Victory's Lessons for 2024 Public Health Threats"

The improbable victory over smallpox, the last recorded case of naturally occurring variola major smallpox in 1975, holds lessons for health threats in 2024. Dr. Céline Gounder, a physician and epidemiologist, traveled to India and Bangladesh to capture the history of the smallpox eradication campaign, highlighting the stories of South Asian public health workers and survivors. The eradication leaders' unwarranted optimism and moral imagination, along with the need to respect local culture and address immediate needs, offer valuable lessons for confronting current public health challenges. The article emphasizes the importance of meeting people's basic needs and building trust to effectively respond to future health crises.

via NPR|

#epidemic #eradication #health-history

history2 years ago•7 min saved

Unveiling the Ancient Origins of African Smallpox Inoculation

Historians have found evidence that Africans in West Africa were practicing smallpox inoculation before the 18th century, long before it was introduced in the Americas. Enslaved Africans played a significant role in introducing the practice of smallpox inoculation throughout the Americas by the 1700s. However, the contributions of Africans, Arabs, Asians, and North Africans to the development of inoculation and vaccination have been largely overlooked in favor of Western European figures like Edward Jenner. Recognizing the non-Western roots of medicine and public health is crucial for healing medical mistrust in Black communities and creating conditions for Black people's thriving globally.

via Slate|

#africa #history #inoculation

health3 years ago•7 min saved

Bavarian Nordic emphasizes smallpox preparation after Mpox outbreak.

The maker of the mpox vaccine, Bavarian Nordic, is looking to increase its production capacity to prepare for a potential threat from smallpox. The company plans to simplify its production process to scale up production capacity to hundreds of millions of doses in the event of an emergency. The European Union's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority and at least two European national governments have shown interest in stockpiling the Jynneos vaccine for use against smallpox. Bavarian Nordic's current production capacity is tens of millions of doses, which would not be sufficient to deal with a widespread outbreak of smallpox.

via CNBC|

#bavarian-nordic #health #mpox