GRSJ224/CurableDiseases
Introduction
The treatments for illness in today's society has been greatly improved compared to the past. The technological advances we continue to explore and research has led to many cures of diseases that in the past, would lead to certain death. The end goal humans strive for would be the extinction of all diseases. However, no diseases in today’s society are extinct.
Terms
There a few terms we must learn to further understand how diseases are categorized.
Elimination of disease: “Reduction to zero of the incidence of a specified disease in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate efforts; continued intervention measures are required” (CDC, 2019).
An example would be neonatal tetanus which is a serious disease targeted against newborn babies where sterilization is not practiced enough.
Elimination of infections: “Reduction to zero of the incidence of infection caused by a specific agent in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate efforts; continued measures to prevent re-establishment of transmission are required” (CDC, 2019).
An example would be measles which is an extremely infectious disease.
Eradication: “Permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection caused by a specific agent as a result of deliberate efforts; intervention measures are no longer needed” (CDC, 2019).
An example would be smallpox which took the lives of many people.
Extinction: “The specific infectious agent no longer exists in nature or in the laboratory” (CDC, 2019).
There are currently no diseases that are extinct.
Smallpox[1]
Smallpox, a disease that took the lives of many people caused bumps that would eventually peel off and scar, which usually resulted in death. Smallpox dates back to 1157 B.C where Pharaoh Ramses V passed away due to signs of apparent smallpox. Back then, smallpox was deadly but in 1959 "The Soviet Union and Cuba agreed to provide 25 million and 2 million doses of freeze-dried vaccine" (Brown, 2006) that started a program to rid the world of smallpox. The Soviet Union and Cuba were both under WHO, the World Health Assembly which has done great wonders for the world. Making vaccinations "much cheaper, easier, and more effective" (Brown, 2006) has shown how the world continues to grow and combat any illness they face. In today’s society, the world has a greater understanding of hygiene which helps in the reduction of spreading of Smallpox. With more technology, humans are able to discover the root of the diseases and understand how to counter them.
Malaria[2]
Another illness that was considered deadly in the past, was Malaria. Malaria caused by mosquito bites where tiny parasites burrow their way into your bloodstream and significantly increase it. Malaria started around 1880 “with the discovery of the parasites in the blood of malaria patients by Alphonse Laveran” (Francis, 2010). It was estimated in 2016, around 445, 000 people died due to Malaria. It was only until the last decade, around 2010 that malaria has been controlled and has a high rate of overcoming the disease. “This scale-up of interventions has saved millions of lives globally and cut malaria mortality by 25% from 2010 to 2016” (CDC, 2019). The medicine taken before is usually the best at preventing the contraction of Malaria since if you are bitten before your medication, some parasites in the liver may be immune to the medicine.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are now greatly praised for the reduction of diseases. Ever since you were a baby, you would be taking vaccines, unless your parents opted out for you. Vaccines are a small and controlled part of the disease when taken, can decrease the risk of you contracting the disease by a very good chance. Taking vaccines grant you immunity to the disease. For example, if you were vaccinated for HPV, you could be in a room around people with HPV and have a significantly less chance of contracting the disease then without the vaccination. Vaccines are very easy to take, the most popular being an injection by a needle by a professional. Other methods include orally or sprayed into the nose.
References:
“CDC - Malaria - About Malaria - FAQs.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 July 2019, www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/faqs.html.
Cox1, Francis EG. “History of the Discovery of the Malaria Parasites and Their Vectors.” Parasites & Vectors, BioMed Central, 1 Feb. 2010, parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-3305-3-5.
Brown, J. "The World Health Organization and the Transition from 'International' to American Journal of Public Health 2006;96:62-72.
“Smallpox.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 July 2017, www.cdc.gov/smallpox/index.html.
“Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Smallpox.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 22 July 2016, www.who.int/csr/disease/smallpox/faq/en/.