Lessons from a House on Fire—From Smallpox to Polio

Abstract

Global burden of disease morbidity and mortality has shifted dramatically in the last 30 years from infectious to non-communicable diseases, leading to major improvements in global child survival and enhanced life expectancy for all age groups. Vaccination efforts worldwide have been key to this achievement, but with a reduction in vaccine preventable diseases, anti-vaccine sentiments have concurrently increased. Eradication of smallpox in 1977 is a testament to vaccination impacts on human health. Despite this historic success, recent increases in infectious disease outbreaks, such as polio and measles, especially among poorly vaccinated populations, have underscored the risks of resurgence of diseases once thought eliminated in the United States and elsewhere. Engaging governments, community leaders, and the public will be critical to continuing the advancement of global health through elimination of vaccine preventable diseases.