Smallpox: The First Vaccine

Smallpox, a deadly contagious disease, was first reported in 1600 BC. It caused severe symptoms and had a high fatality rate. Edward Jenner discovered in 1796 that cowpox could immunize against smallpox, but his idea was initially dismissed. By the 1950s, smallpox was still widespread, with millions of cases annually. In 1967, the WHO initiated a global eradication campaign using a vaccine similar to Jenner's. The campaign succeeded, and smallpox was declared eradicated in 1979, having caused hundreds of millions of deaths in the 20th century. Jenner's vaccine ultimately stopped the spread of this deadly disease.

What were the two strains of the virus responsible for smallpox?

• Variola major and variola minor

• Variola minor and variola minimus

• Variola majoris and variola minimus

• Variola major and variola majoris

Who discovered the method of using cowpox to immunize against smallpox?

• Alexander Fleming

• Robert Koch

• Edward Jenner

• Louis Pasteur

What was the estimated number of smallpox cases each year by the early 1950s?

• 100 million

• 10 million

• 20 million

• 50 million

In what year did the World Health Organization launch a global eradication campaign for smallpox?

• 1985

• 1979

• 1967

• 1950

What was the name of the vaccine used in the global eradication campaign?

• Jenneria

• Variola

• Vaccinia

• Cowpox