The WHO smallpox eradication campaign was launched in its intensified form in 1967, and in four years had wiped out smallpox in Latin America. Four more years toppled the disease's last bastion in Asia. The multi-national teams closed in on Somalia, scene of "the last stand". The eradication of smallpox from the world was certified by the Global Commission, an independent panel of scientists drawn from 19 nations, in December 1979 at WHO Headquarters, Geneva.
Smallpox
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. It is believed to have existed for at least 3000 years.
The smallpox vaccine, created by Edward Jenner in 1796, was the first successful vaccine to be developed. He observed that milkmaids who previously had caught cowpox did not catch smallpox and showed that a similar inoculation could be used to prevent smallpox in other people.
The World Health Organization launched an intensified plan to eradicate smallpox in 1967. Widespread immunization and surveillance were conducted around the world for several years. The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977. In 1980 WHO declared smallpox eradicated – the only infectious disease to achieve this distinction. This remains among the most notable and profound public health successes in history.
Early symptoms of smallpox include
high fever, fatigue and severe back pain, and less often, abdominal pain and
vomiting. Two to 3 days later the virus produces a characteristic rash with
bumps full of a clear liquid, which later fill with pus and finally develop a
crust that dries and falls off. The rash begins on the face and hands, then
spreads to the rest of the body. Lesions develop in the mucous membranes of the
nose and mouth and ulcerate soon after formation.
Smallpox is transmitted from person to
person via infective droplets during close contact with infected people who
have symptoms of the disease, or in some cases through contaminated clothing
and bedding. It has an incubation period of 7–17 days after exposure and only
becomes infectious once a fever develops. People remain infectious until the
last scabs fall off.
Smallpox was fatal in up to 30% of
cases.
The period since eradication has been defined by a lengthy and complex debate focussed on the destruction of the last remaining stocks of live variola virus. In 1996, at the 49th World Health Assembly, Member States decided to have this stock destroyed in June 1999, and only to allow small samples to be kept for research purposes at two designated secure laboratories – one in the United States and one in the Russian Federation. Temporary retention of the existing stocks of variola virus are used for further essential research, which is overseen by the Advisory Committee for Variola Virus Research. This group meets on an annual basis.
The WHO Smallpox Secretariat, based in WHO’s Headquarters, manages the Smallpox Vaccine Emergency Stockpile, which is maintained in the unlikely event that the virus re-emerges. The Secretariat also coordinates research activities, manages the biosafety and biosecurity inspections of the repositories and reports to WHO’s Governing Bodies.
