Academic literature on the topic 'Whooping-cough Prevention'

The goal of the study was the identification of epidemiological features of whooping cough and assessment of economic losses due to this disease in Moscow.Materials and methods. The retrospective descriptive epidemiological research is conducted. The statistical data on incidence of whooping cough in the Russian Federation and in Moscow from 2009 to June, 2018, the reports on registration of whooping cough cases as well as the results of laboratory testing on whooping cough in Moscow in 2017 have been studied. The general losses from whooping cough in Moscow in 2017 have been calculated.Results. The whooping cough incidence in Moscow considerably influences a situation on this infection in the country in general as more than 20% of all cases of whooping cough in Russia are registered in the capital, where the incidence exceed by 1.5–2.5 times the average country level. The incidence of whooping cough among children of 7–14 years and the share of this group of population in the structure of the whooping cough cases have increased in Moscow, and outbreaks of pertussis at schools are observed. In Moscow the general losses due to whooping cough in children of 7–14 years in 2017 were estimated as 19.72 million rubles. High performance of vaccinal prevention of whooping cough is confirmed: in Moscow in 2017 the coefficient of epidemiological efficiency of vaccination among children of 6-12 months was 97.7%, among children at the age of 1 year – 82.6%, 2 years -79.9%, 3 years – 74.9%. Weighted average of direct loss from a case of whooping cough was estimated as 31182.2 rubles. The general losses due to whooping cough in Moscow in 2017 were 67.88 million rubles.Conclusion. It is necessary to take additional measures for vaccinal prevention of whooping cough at children of school age and to support the high level of coverage by timely immunization of children of the first year of life. For assessment of economic feasibility of vaccinal prevention of whooping cough it is necessary to consider the size of economic losses due to this disease.

The goal of study was the epidemiological substantiationof optimization measures of a vaccinal prevention of whooping cough in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. The retrospective descriptive epidemiological research has been conducted by analysis of the official statistical data on the whooping cough case rate (form No. 2) in 2005–2017 in the Russian Federation, as well as the data about preventive whooping cough inoculations (forms No. 5, No. 6) in 2005–2017 and about epidemic outbreakes in 2017 (form No. 23-17). The assessment of an economic damage from whooping cough in 2005-2017 has been carried out. Results. The following adverse characteristics of a modern epidemiological situation on whooping cough in Russia are shown: long-term recurrence of epidemic process, tendency of rising of a case rate of children of 0-2 years; high percentage of children of preschool and school age among whooping cough cases; prevalence among the patients with whooping cough of the children who have been vaccinated against this infection previously, epidemic outbreakes in children’s collectives, the stability of a case rate of teenagers and adults with prevalence of the mild and the erased clinical forms of this infection. The risks due to weaknesses of the whooping cough vaccinal prevention are noted: the insufficient immunization coverage owing to falce contraindications and refusals of parents of vaccinations of children, noncompliance with terms and intervals between inoculations, lack of domestic vaccine for revaccination of children at the age of 5 years and older. Conclusion. It is necessary to introduce in the national vaccination schedule a preschool booster dose for children at the age of 6 and adolescents at 14 years with the combined reduced antigen content tetanus–diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccines as well as the inoculations of this vaccine according to epidemiological indications to health workers, employees of educational institutions. A revaccination against whooping cough is recommended as “cocoon” for the persons contacting to not vaccinated child under 1 year of age.

Relevance. Despite more than 50 years of successful experience with pertussis immunization, pertussis remains an important public health problem. WHO estimated 16 million people worldwide are infected per year, a significant number of whom are children under 1 year of age. In the last 10 years a significant increase in the incidence of whooping cough has been observed in many countries with a high immunization coverage level. In Russia, specific prevention of whooping cough, is held since 1959. Specific prevention of whooping cough has led to considerable improvement of an epidemiological situation and has shown its social and economic importance for maintenance of sanitary and epidemiologic wellbeing on this infection in Russia. Goal. Study the structure of population B. pertussis circulating in Russia in dynamics of whooping cough epidemic process. Materials and methods Studied 573 B. pertussis strains allocated from patients with whooping cough in 1948 - 2015 used multilocus sequence typing (MAST). Isolates divided in five groups: 1948 - 1969 - 37 strains, isolated in the vaccination period and the first ten years of mass childhood immunization; 1970 - 1989 - 63 strains; 1990 - 2005 - 203 strains (from G.N. Gabrichevsky Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology collection); 2006 - 2012 - 185 strains; 2013 - 2015 - 85 strains. Genotyping of strains was carried out according to the scheme MAST2 on the basis of a sequence of fragments of genes of ptxP-fim3-prn. Results of sequencing-typing were computed in the CromasLite program, identification of alleles and sequencing types carried out on EMBL/GenBank. Results. Formation of population of B.pertussis strains during more than 50 years went on the way of consecutive change of vaccinal genotype strains with strains of new nonvaccinal genotypes. Conclusions. Modern population of the causative agent of whooping cough is presented by the strains of genotype 322 and 329 possessing high virulence and causing heavier clinical course of disease.

Epidemiological analysis of data on the incidence of measles, whooping cough and mumps in the Republic of Dagestan for the period 2010–2020. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the data on the incidence of measles, whooping cough and mumps in the Republic of Dagestan for the period 2010–2018 was carried out. Materials on the coverage of planned vaccinations are analyzed. Statistical data processing was performed using the MS Exсel 2010 software package. In 2020, in the Republic of Dagestan, the measles incidence rate per 100 thousand population was 16,43 compared to 27,0 in 2019, 79.5 % of those who were not vaccinated against measles accounted for — 53.1 % fell ill due to refusals. The peak rates of whooping cough incidence are observed in 2018–2019 (8.0 and 7.19, respectively, per 100 thousand of the population). The main contingent is children — 97.9 %, of which 96.3 % are due to parental refusal. In terms of the incidence of mumps, the Republic of Dagestan ranks first in 2017–2018 (87.15 and 45.3 per 100 thousand population), with an excess of the all-Russian indicator (2.19) by 39.8 times, that is, 68 % of those who have been ill in the country are residents of Dagestan. Among those who fell ill with mumps, the share of unvaccinated persons was 65.6 %, of which 78.4 % were children under 17 years of age with refusal of vaccination. Based on a retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of measles, whooping cough and mumps in the Republic of Dagestan for the period 2010–2020, it can be concluded that the intensity of the epidemic process of these diseases has increased, which is an unfavorable prognostic sign. The main reason for the epidemiological problems and the spread of these infections among the population of the Republic of Dagestan is the increase in the number of refusals of preventive vaccinations. It is necessary to strengthen the educational and organizational activities of medical workers for the purpose of hygienic education of the population on the prevention of immune-controlled infections.

Dibazol is currently widely used in the treatment of various diseases. Often it is used in a children's clinic, in particular for flaccid paresis and sensitivity disorders of various origins (NN Anosov and MA Rozin, 1956, etc.). A. Ya. Broitman (1956) used dibazol in the treatment of whooping cough.

An increase in the incidence of whooping cough has been noted in recent years in both unvaccinated and vaccinated children and adults. In Russia, recently, new possibilities of protection against pertussis infection have appeared for children over four years old and adults. Purpose: to analyze the specific immunoprophylaxis and safety of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis for children over four years old in Krasnodar. Materials and methods. We examined 393 children over four years and 125 adults who were immunized with a vaccine for the prevention of diphtheria (with a reduced antigen content), tetanus, pertussis (acellular), combined, adsorbed (Adasel) at the SKIB city hospital in Krasnodar in the period from July 2018 until October 2019. The respondents had a vaccination history and did not suffer from whooping cough, according to medical records. Results. The number of people vaccinated with acellular vaccine doubled among the child population (2018 - 129; 2019 - 264) and adults (2018 - 39; 2019 - 86). General post-vaccination reactions among children amounted to 12.2% (48), weak responses prevailed - 36 (9.2%), strong responses were found in 12 people (3%). In adults, general post-vaccination responses were not observed. Local post-vaccination reactions among children amounted to 38.2% (150), weak reactions prevailed - 103 (26.2%), strong ones were found in 47 children (12%). Conclusions. During the study period, immunoprophylaxis with this vaccine doubled, showing a satisfactory safety profile. However, to reduce the incidence of whooping cough, it is advisable to examine the immunological protection and conduct revaccination with a booster dose to achieve stable post-vaccination immunity.

Goal. Evaluation of duration and frequency of Bordetella pertussis DNA detection in contact persons in family foci of whooping-cough.Materials and methods. 116 persons from 59 family foci of pertussis were examined in contact with sick young children. The DNA of B. pertussis bacteria in nasopharyngeal swabs was detected by real-time PCR (PCR-RV) using a test system developed at Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Moscow). The bacterial load and the duration of the release of genomic equivalents (GE) of B. pertussis DNA were determined in dynamics at 1, 3 and 6 months.Results. Among the contact persons in family foci, adults accounted for 59,48%, adolescents and schoolchildren – 10,35% and 12,07% respectively. Cough was absent in 35,34% of contact persons, 20,69% had a rare dry cough, 24,14% had a dry compulsive cough and 19,83% had a typical cough. None of the contact family members were diagnosed with whooping cough, although 64.66% of the patients had clinical signs of the disease, mainly its atypical form (44.83%). Among the carriers of B. pertussis adults accounted for 82.92%, among patients with atypical forms of whooping cough – 51.92%. In the study of nasopharyngeal swabs using the PCR-RV method, it was found that 86.10% of the contact persons detected DNA of B. pertussis. After 3 months in 90% of the contacts, the DNA of pertussis causative agent was detected in a minimum amount of 101-102GE/ml in the sample. After 6 months, B. pertussis was sanitized in 50% of the examined patients. 12.5% of the samples identified avirulent forms of the causative agent of pertussis, formed as a result of movement of IS481 in operon bvgAS.The conclusion. In 86.1% of contact persons in family foci for a long time (from 3 to 6 months), detection of genetic markers of the causative agent of pertussis from the nasopharynx was noted, including 35.34% of those examined in the absence of cough. This, along with the reported genetic mutation in operon bvgAS in 12.5% of cases, can characterize the presence of persistence of B. pertussis, explaining its preservation in circulation in the conditions of mass vaccine prevention.

Pertussis (whooping cough) remains an important public health problem in Australia. Although mortality and morbidity from pertussis declined dramatically following the introduction of mass vaccination programs in 1953, the level of morbidity remains unacceptably high for a vaccine-preventable disease. Aims and methods The primary aims of this thesis were (i) to ascertain the epidemiology of pertussis in Australia between 1993 and 2000 by analysing and interpreting sources of routinely collected data on pertussis; and (ii) to examine the effectiveness of vaccination against pertussis in a number of ways. Data from three primary national sources (notifications of disease, hospitalisations for pertussis and death certificates) were used to examine the burden from pertussis in Australia over these eight years. Analyses included the age distribution of cases, temporal and geographic trends, comparisons of notification and hospitalisation data, and the impact of differences in the method of diagnosis of notified cases between years and age groups. In addition to analyses at the national level using data from the national databases, further detailed analyses were undertaken at the State level for New South Wales (NSW), the most populous Australian State. Pertussis vaccine coverage was estimated using data from the recently established Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR); these data were also used to track the transition from whole-cell to acellular pertussis vaccines. The different types of studies used to evaluate vaccine effectiveness were reviewed, and a method suitable for ongoing estimation of vaccine effectiveness in Australia was developed. This was then applied to the NSW data, to determine the effectiveness of pertussis vaccination in this State. Main findings The annual notification rate for pertussis in Australia ranged from 23�59 per 100 000 population over the eight years. Infants had the highest notification and hospitalisation rates in Australia � they accounted for 5percent of notifications, 61percent of hospitalisations and 100percent of deaths. Age-specific notification and hospitalisation rates in children aged less than two years strongly suggested a protective effect of vaccination, with the greatest reduction in rate coinciding with eligibility to receive a second dose of pertussis vaccine at four months of age. Notification rates among 5�9 year olds progressively decreased in successive age cohorts, consistent with an effect of the introduction in 1994 of a pertussis vaccine booster for preschool-aged children. Although adults (persons aged 15 years or more) accounted for half the notifications, they had the lowest notification rate. The highest numbers of pertussis notifications were in 1997, when most jurisdictions experienced an epidemic. Notification and hospitalisation rates varied across the States and Territories and also across smaller geographic regions in NSW. Areas and years with high notification rates tended to also have high hospitalisation rates, suggesting that trends in notifications reflected trends in incidence. The number of infant hospitalisations in NSW between July 1993 and June 1999 exceeded the number of notifications by 32percent, highlighting the extent of under-notification. Overall, and particularly amongst those aged more than 12 months, the majority of cases notified in NSW were based on the results of serological tests. The proportion diagnosed by culture of the organism was greatest in infants; the proportion diagnosed by serological tests increased with age. There was no evidence that the use of serology had increased since 1994 in NSW, hence changes in notification rates after this time are unlikely to be attributable to increased use of serological diagnosis. ACIR records indicated that in December 2000, 92percent of one-year-old children had received three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine and 90percent of two-year-olds had received four doses. Vaccine coverage varied by jurisdiction. Since 1997, there was an increased use of DTP vaccines containing acellular pertussis components with a corresponding decrease in the use of vaccines containing whole-cell components. In 2000, almost all DTP vaccines administered contained acellular pertussis components. The results of the vaccine effectiveness study showed that pertussis vaccination was highly effective at preventing pertussis in NSW children, as measured by notified cases. Vaccine effectiveness was highest (91percent) in the youngest age group (8�23 months) and lowest (78percent) in the oldest age group (9�13 years). The screening method has not previously been used to estimate pertussis vaccine effectiveness in Australia. Conclusions This thesis demonstrates the value of integrating varied data sources in estimating the disease burden from pertussis. The data presented here show that the disease burden is substantial in all age groups, despite high levels of vaccine coverage in infants and children. This problem of disease control does not appear to be due to lack of vaccine effectiveness, but there is evidence of waning immunity over time. The analyses presented here form a basis for the ongoing monitoring of trends in pertussis epidemiology following the replacement of whole-cell by acellular pertussis vaccines, and will assist consideration of the need for additional booster doses in adolescents and adults.

Trabalho Final do Mestrado Integrado em Medicina apresentado à Faculdade de Medicina
Introdução: Depois de, em 2012, Portugal ser considerado um país com reemergência de tosse convulsa pela Organização Mundial de Saúde e de se verificar a existência de uma maior morbimortalidade em lactentes com idade inferior à recomendada para a primovacinação, a Direção-Geral da Saúde criou, em 2016, uma norma com vista a introduzir a vacina contra a tosse convulsa na grávida. A finalidade desta medida foi maximizar a resposta imunitária materna e a transferência placentar de anticorpos para o feto, providenciando proteção passiva aos lactentes durante o período de maior suscetibilidade. Em 2017, cerca de 75% das grávidas foram vacinadas. No entanto, o problema da hesitação na vacinação tem-se mostrado uma preocupação na área da saúde, exigindo esforços tanto a nível de investigação como de formação dos profissionais de saúde e educação das grávidas. Objetivos: O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a realização da vacina contra a tosse convulsa na grávida e averiguar as barreiras e motivações das mães, de modo a serem pensadas medidas para combater a hesitação na vacinação e, assim, melhorar a qualidade da prestação dos cuidados de saúde e otimizar a percentagem de grávidas vacinadas em Portugal.Métodos: Conduzimos um estudo observacional e transversal que permitiu avaliar a proporção de vacinação contra a tosse convulsa na gravidez numa amostra de conveniência em 6 Unidades de Cuidados de Saúde Primários. Foram estudadas mulheres com filhos nascidos entre 1 de julho de 2017 e 30 de junho de 2019. Aplicámos um questionário que avaliou as motivações e barreiras à vacinação e recolhemos dados sociodemográficos para posterior análise descritiva. Resultados: Numa amostra de 74 mulheres, 87,84% foram vacinadas. Para 60,81% não havia conhecimento da necessidade de ser vacinada até ficar grávida e, depois de vacinadas, 5,41% sabiam o nome da vacina que tinham recebido e 22,97% a semana de gestação em que ocorrera a vacinação. O médico de família foi a principal fonte de informação sobre esta recomendação (54,41%), seguido do enfermeiro de família (43,24%). As principais barreiras à vacinação foram “Opinião/convicção pessoal” (44,44%) e “Outra” (77,78%), sendo que, dentro desta última, a razão mais invocada foi a falta de recomendação da vacina (57,14%). As motivações mais apontadas foram a recomendação do médico (90,77%) e a intenção de proteger o filho e a própria (84,62% e 70,77%, respetivamente). Todas as mulheres que foram vacinadas nesta última gravidez, mostraram intenção de ser vacinadas numa futura gravidez. Discussão e Conclusões: A proporção de vacinação contra a tosse convulsa das grávidas desta amostra é superior à estimada em 2017, sendo similar ou superior à de outros países. Esta pode ser otimizada através da educação das mães pelo médico de família e sua equipa.
Introduction: In 2012, Portugal was identified by the World Health Organisation as one of the countries with pertussis resurgence, also known as whooping cough. Moreover, there was evidence of high morbidity and mortality in infants who were too young to be vaccinated. Considering these, guidelines recommending the vaccination of pregnant women were released in 2016 by the portuguese Health Directorate, a Government Department. The aim was to improve the mother’s immunity and provide passive protection through the placentar transfer of antibodies to the baby until they reach the age to be vaccinated. In 2017, 75% of pregnant women received pertussis vaccine. However, there is probable resistance to adhere to vaccination which represents a challenge to research but also highlights the need to improve training of healthcare professionals and pregnant women’s education.Objectives: To analyse adherence to pertussis vaccination of pregnant women and identify motivations and barriers to vaccination. The goal is to find measures to improve adherence to vaccination therefore improving the standards and quality of care with a higher percentage of pregnant women vaccinated. Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study to evaluate the proportion of pregnant women who received the pertussis vaccine in a convenience sample in 6 primary health care centres. Women with children born between the 1st of July 2017 and the 30th of June 2019 were part of this study. We applied a questionnaire that assessed the motivations and barriers to vaccination and collected sociodemographic data for further descriptive analysis.Results: Out of 74 women, 87.84% were vaccinated. A total of 60.81% women were not aware they needed to be vaccinated until they were pregnant. After receiving the vaccine, 5.41% knew the name of the vaccine they received and 22.97% knew the week gestation when they received it. Vaccination was recommended to 54.41% of women by their general practitioner and 43.24% by their practice nurse. The main barrier to vaccination was “Opinion/Belief” (44.44%) and “Other” (77.78%). Specifically, 57.14% of respondents highlighted the lack of recommendation to receive the vaccine. Regarding motivations, 90.77% of women stated they agreed to be vaccinated as per advice of their general practitioner and to protect their baby and themselves (84.62% and 70.77%, accordingly). All women that were vaccinated in their last pregnancy showed interest in receiving the vaccine in future pregnancies. Discussion and conclusions: The proportion of pregnant women who received pertussis vaccination in this study is higher than the estimated in 2017 and similar or higher when compared to other countries. This percentage can increase further if pregnant women receive appropriate advice from their general practitioner in the primary care setting.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a respiratory disease caused primarily by infection with the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It remains one of the leading causes of death among vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide and recent years have seen its alarming re-emergence in many regions (including the United States and much of Europe), despite sustained high levels of vaccine coverage. The causes of the resurgence remain contentious, in part due to inherent complexities of the pathogen’s biology, in part due to pronounced variation in the treatment and prevention strategies between different countries and regions, and in part due to long-standing disagreement among scientific researchers studying pertussis. This edited volume brings together expert knowledge from disparate fields with the overall aim of synthesizing the current understanding of this critically important, global pathogen. Pertussis: Epidemiology, Immunology, and Evolution is an advanced text suitable for graduate-level students taking courses in evolutionary epidemiology, disease ecology, and evolutionary biology, as well as academics, public health officials, and researchers in these fields. It also offers a very useful introduction to a wider audience of public health practitioners, microbiologists, epidemiologists, medical professionals, and vaccine biologists

This chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Emergency Medicine investigates paediatric emergencies in the emergency department (ED). It reviews acute bronchiolitis, whooping cough, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, and pneumonia, and explores fits in children, status epilepticus, febrile convulsions, and funny turns. It describes diabetic ketoacidosis, urinary tract infection (UTI), haematuria, acute kidney injury, poisoning, gastroenteritis, abdominal pain in children, inguinal and scrotal swellings, foreskin problems, and zip entrapment. It discusses limping, painful hips, osteochondritis, and paediatric trauma and injury prevention, and reviews resuscitation of the injured child, head injury, spinal injury, trauma, wounds, fractures and dislocations, limb injuries, and normal X-rays. It discusses fracture and injury of the shoulder, humeral shaft, supracondylar humeral fracture, elbow, forearm, wrist, hip, and femoral fracture, knee and tibial fracture, and ankle and foot injuries. It investigates child abuse, including bruising, fractures, head injuries, burns, neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse, and how to manage suspected child abuse.

For health services to deliver effective prevention and treatment, a detailed understanding of the factors influencing health is critical. These factors are known as the determinants of health. Failure to address the underlying causes of disease in society will mean that sustainable improvements in the health of the population and a reduction in health inequalities will never be achieved. Tackling the contemporary determinants of health across society is a core function of public health and has now become the focus of government health policy in many parts of the world (WHO 2008). Many clinicians often feel frustrated when their advice to patients on ways of staying healthy is apparently ignored. Why don’t people stop smoking when they know the serious health risks of the habit? Why do some parents continue to give their children sweets when they have been given clear advice on the harmful effects on the child’s oral health? It is important for all health professionals to understand the factors influencing their patients’ choices and actions. Clinicians equipped with this knowledge are more likely to be effective at supporting their patients and enjoying their professional work. When asked what factors determine health, many people would probably highlight the importance of modern medicine. The use of antibiotics, high-tech equipment, and surgical advances might all be given as the most important reasons for improvements in health that have been achieved in the last hundred years. Why is modern medicine credited with such achievements and is this a true reflection of reality? Professor Thomas McKeown, a pioneer in public health research, conducted a detailed historical analysis of the reasons for the steady reduction in mortality rates that occurred in westernized countries during the last century (McKeown 1979). In his classic analysis he investigated changes in mortality rates for different conditions. As can be seen in Figure 2.1, with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, whooping cough, and measles, significant reductions in mortality rates occurred long before treatments and vaccination programmes were even introduced.

Bordetella are small Gram-negative coccobacilli, of which Bordetella pertussis is the most important human pathogen. Bordetella pertussis is the cause of whooping cough, which remains one of the 10 leading causes of death among children less than five years old. Transmission of this highly infectious organism is primarily by aerosolized droplets. The preferred diagnostic methods are polymerase chain reaction detection from nasopharyngeal samples and serology (IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin). Macrolide antibiotics are recommended if started within four weeks of illness onset. Preventing severe disease in young children remains the primary goal, hence schedules consist of a three-dose infant series and subsequent booster doses. Acellular vaccines enable immunization schedules to include adolescents and adults. Acellular pertussis vaccine given to pregnant women reduces the risk of pertussis in young infants. Antibiotic prophylaxis is given when there is an infant at risk of exposure.

These are diseases in which an effective preventive vaccine exists. A death that could have been prevented by vaccination is a vaccine- preventable death. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified twenty-five diseases as vaccine preventable. This list may expand as new vaccines are being developed. The Expanded Programme on Immunization, or EPI, is vaccination programme introduced in 1974 by the WHO to all nations. The EPI initially targeted diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, poliomyelitis, and tuberculosis. The aim was to provide universal immunization for all children by 1990 and to achieve health for all by 2000. In 2010, about 85% of children under one year of age in the world had received at least three doses of DTP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and polio). Additional vaccines have now been added to the original six targets. Most countries have now added Hepatitis B (not in UK) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) to their routine infant immunization schedules, and an increasing number are in the process of adding pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccines to their schedules. Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and even eradicating infectious diseases. The immunization campaign against smallpox between 1967 and 1977 resulted in the eradication of smallpox. Apart from smallpox, the only other viral infection that was declared eradicated through vaccination campaign was rinderpest in cattle (2011), a close relative of measles virus in humans. Another major infection target for global eradication is against poliomyelitis—the global polio eradication initiative (GPEI). When the programme began in 1988, polio threatened 60% of the world’s population. Eradication of poliomyelitis is now within reach: infections have fallen by 99%; wild type polio type 2 was last detected in 1999 and declared eradicated in 2015; wild-type poliovirus type 3 has not been detected in the world since 2012. Poliovirus type 1 is the only wild- type virus in circulation and endemic transmission is only reported in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Currently, the old trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine is replaced by the more potent bivalent poliovirus type 1 and 3 vaccine. Many western countries have switched from oral vaccine to the injected inactivated vaccine to avoid the problem of vaccine- induced paralysis, which could be associated with the oral live attenuated vaccine.