ABSTRACT

In 1980, certification of the eradication of smallpox finally confirmed that certain diseases could not only be successfully controlled at very low incidence, but actually eradicated such that the control measures could be stopped, potentially for all time [1]. That a vaccine was the tool behind this first successful eradication initiative reaffirmed the promise and the potential of immunization in achieving this “ultimate goal of public health” [2]. The eradication of smallpox is frequently cited as the most important international public health achievement in the 20th century, and for many years has stood as a unique testament to humankind’s capacity to completely eliminate a significant cause of morbidity and mortality [3].