Eradicating Small Pox around the World - Essay Example

? Eradicating Small Pox around the World Summary Small pox is simply an infectious diseases attributed to certain virus that attacks only human beings. Small pox constitutes among the world’s deadliest diseases but that have vaccination. There have been intensified wars to ensure total eradication of small pox that saw WHO making official declaration concerning eradication of the diseases in 1980. As indicted by Bureau of Epidemiology (2002), there no single of contraction of small pox since 1977. The symptoms of small pox begins to show up between 10 to 16 days after infection, and involves severe headaches, chills, nauseas, vomiting, fever and severe pains in the muscles. Upon infection and in its severe stages, small pox develops lesions and eventually pustules on the body of the victim. Small pox in its form is highly contagious and this defines its mode of transmission. Transmission can also be through inhalation of respiratory secretions of the infected person when the victim is gets into face-to-face contact with the healthy person. Apart from the control and preventive techniques as well as vaccination, small pox has no formal treatment techniques. In its severe stages, small pox can lead to death of the victim or in cases of survivals; it leaves permanent scars on the skin of the individual victim. Control, surveillance and perhaps vaccination against small pox have been one of the health responsibilities of governments. Campaigns and vaccinations against small pox have seen draining of massive money from the economies of the victim countries and world in general through World Health Organization. Characteristics of Small Pox That Made It Possible To Eradicate Eradication of small pox became easier and possible because of its defining characteristics. The first characteristic that made it possible to eradicate is that the disease takes short time to incubate. The incubation period of small pox ranges from 10 to 14 days before the actual appearance of symptoms (Bureau of Epidemiology, 2002). Upon the appearance of the first symptoms, the diseases are usually not infectious and this made it easy to contain and manage without further spread on other population. As indicated by Stanford.edu (1998), another characteristic that made it possible to eradicate small pox attached to the fact that the virus does not attack animals thus limiting its reservoirs. Small pox is only unique to human beings and this fact made health practitioners believe that believe that clearing the virus among human population would mark the end of the virus in the world. Furthermore, small pox is clinically apparent bearing its uniqueness and clear symptoms during its development (Henderson, 1999). This characteristic made its detection easier to help in the surveillance and control efforts. Another characteristic that made eradication of small pox easier attributed to the mode of its transmission. Though considered highly contagious, conditions for transmission requires human-to-human contact. This fact saw a small transmission that ensured easier and quick containment. Another critical characteristic that made it easier to eradicate small pox related to the presence of very effective vaccine. Stanford.edu (1998) exemplifies that single dose of the vaccine for small pox ensures long-term immunity on the recipients. Vaccinations against small pox required little shots and boosters. In addition, vaccination before infection posed lesser risk than vaccination after infection. The vaccine against small pox was also stable, and this made it possible for transportation to other parts of the world without any form of refrigeration (Bureau of Epidemiology, 2002). Vaccination against small pox also required little training that made it possible for health practitioners all over the world execute the service of vaccination. When compared to treatment and drugs, vaccination against small pox proved cheaper and this facilitated the process eradication by vaccination. Another important fact that saw quick eradication of small pox was the intensified campaigns for vaccination that saw provision of financial aids to the less developed countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) also used more funds in campaigns against small pox that saw announcement of money rewards to reports of small pox in less civilized countries (Stanford.edu, 1998). This approach increased the number of reports of small pox cases that saw ultimate eradication of the diseases. Extinction Eradication and Control According to Heymann (2011), extinction eradication of small pox refers to permanent reduction of the symptoms, incidences and infection of the disease to zero. With extinction eradication, it becomes unnecessary to involve, emphasize or focus on routine intervention. This attributes to the initial interruption of transmission mechanisms of the diseases. Control on the other hand refers to the reduction and monitoring of the incidence, mortality, morbidity, and prevalence of the infectious disease to levels accepted by the locally set standards. Control of an infectious disease necessitates the need for continued interventions to prevent re-establishment and reemergence of the transmission as well as symptoms (Heymann, 2011). Control requires identification and setting of precautions that guide individuals to avoid any practices that would spur the spread of a certain infectious diseases. Additionally, control of infectious disease involves continued surveillance and investigation of elements of the diseases within a given population. Reasons for Preserving Poliovirus Samples The fact that the world succeeded in eradicating polio during its first threats does not guarantee the opportunity to destroy all samples of poliovirus. The world is never safe from any future attack of polio and therefore any attempts to destroy the samples would make the world health professionals remain naive about the appearance of poliovirus (Heymann, 2011). In the case of attack by re-attack by polio, it will become compulsory for health researchers to get back into fresh research and investigations to identify the form of disease in emergence. Lengthy time required in research and investigation of health issues will then derail and even scuttle vaccination and treatment process. This delay in handling and management of the disease will thus result to immense deaths. As depicted by Heymann (2011), maintaining poliovirus samples have the impact of livening and alerting the memories of world health professionals about the possibility of reoccurrence of the disease. This will help in ensuring substantial investment in surveillance and control program of polio disease, which will ensure containment of the disease upon reoccurrence. Furthermore, maintaining poliovirus samples will also necessitate maintenance and perhaps perseveration of the vaccines. This will make it easy for world health practitioners tackle and limit the spread of the poliovirus upon reoccurrence in human population (Heymann, 2011). One incident that can help understand the need to perverse poliovirus samples took place in Nigeria between 2003 and 2005 with re-introduction of poliovirus that spread across many African and Asian countries. According to Heymann, the reason for the radical spread of the poliovirus upon re-introduction in Nigeria was due to excess laxity by the governments of the particular countries to conduct surveillance and control measures. This also laxity also contributed to lack of defined transmission barriers that would help monitor and limit the spread of the disease. Failure by WHO to Undertake Full-Scale Eradication of Small Pox In 1965 The failure of the World health organization to undertake immediate eradication measures of the small pox in 1965 attributed to number of reasons. First, reason related to more focus abated to the vaccination of the diseases rather than surveillance and control (WHO, 2012). There was little attention towards reporting of cases concerning the outbreak and spread of the disease across various countries, most of which were African. Another reason for sluggishness of WHO to initiate immediate eradication program of small pox was lack of sufficient finance to conduct campaigns and sufficient vaccines. The total money passed by the World Health Assembly towards managing small pox in 1965 was to the tune of US$27 million (WHO, 2012). Another reason for delay of the WHO to initiate immediate and viable eradication program against small pox in 1965 attributed to the intensive cold war that existed between US and Soviet Union that had great say in the operations of WHO. This difference derailed planning as well as affecting operations of WHO in managing small pox in hard hit countries. Measles Eradication Program Initiation of measles eradication program will appear as an important achievement in the efforts to eradicate and declare measles extinct. Eradication program will help in sensitizing individuals about the symptoms of measles and encourage the specific individuals towards seeking for prompt medical care upon realizing the infection (CDC.gov, 1997). In addition, initiating a universal measles eradication program will make it routine for healthcare professionals and governments to conduct surveillance and containment strategies to ensure limited spread of the disease upon re-introduction in a population. References Henderson, D. (1999). Smallpox: Clinical and Epidemiologic Features. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/5/4/99-0415_article.htm Heymann. D. (2011). Control, elimination, eradication and re-emergence of infectious diseases: getting the message right. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/84/2/editorial10206html/en/index.html CDC.gov. (1997). Measles Eradication: Recommendations from a Meeting Cosponsored by the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and CDC. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00047959.htm WHO. (2012), Smallpox: dispelling the myths. An interview with Donald Henderson. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/86/12/08-041208/en/index.html Stanford. Edu. (1998). The Small Pox Story. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/pox/history.html Bureau of Epidemiology. (2002). Smallpox. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://health.utah.gov/epi/fact_sheets/smallpox.html Read More