How we conquered the deadly smallpox virus - Simona Zompi

Summary

The script narrates the devastating history of smallpox, which emerged 10,000 years ago in Africa and killed billions, including 300-500 million in the 20th century. It details the evolution of variolation, an early form of inoculation, and the pivotal discovery by Edward Jenner in 1796. Jenner's observation that dairy maids with cowpox were immune to smallpox led to the first vaccine, using the less harmful cowpox virus to protect against smallpox. This breakthrough, along with widespread vaccination campaigns, led to the World Health Organization's certification of smallpox eradication in 1979. The summary highlights Jenner as the father of immunology, while also acknowledging the contributions of a Buddhist nun, dairy maid Sarah Nelmes, and James Phipps in the fight against smallpox.

Takeaways

• 🦠 Smallpox emerged around 10,000 years ago in northeastern Africa and was highly lethal, causing fevers, vomiting, and rashes, with a 30% fatality rate during the second week of infection.
• 🌍 The virus spread globally, impacting civilizations from ancient Egypt to the Americas, and is estimated to have killed hundreds of millions in the 20th century alone.
• 🔬 The first recorded attempt to combat smallpox was in 1022 A.D. by a Buddhist nun in Sichuan, China, who used a rudimentary form of inoculation with ground smallpox scabs.
• 💉 Variolation, an early form of vaccination, involved transferring material from smallpox sores to healthy individuals, which reduced the risk of infection but was not without risks.
• 🐄 English physician Edward Jenner observed that dairy maids with cowpox, a milder disease, did not contract smallpox, leading to the development of the smallpox vaccine.
• 🧪 Jenner's experiments with cowpox virus from Sarah Nelmes, a dairymaid, and James Phipps, his gardener's son, demonstrated the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing smallpox.
• 🌐 Vaccination using the cowpox virus was safer and more effective than variolation, leading to its acceptance and the eventual prohibition of variolation in England in 1840.
• 🏥 After widespread vaccination campaigns in the 19th and 20th centuries, the World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated in 1979.
• 🏅 Edward Jenner is celebrated as the father of immunology, but the contributions of the Buddhist nun, Sarah Nelmes, and James Phipps were crucial in the development and success of the smallpox vaccine.
• 📚 The story of smallpox illustrates the long and arduous journey from the first attempts at prevention to the global eradication of a deadly disease.

Q & A

What was the origin of the smallpox virus?

The smallpox virus originated in northeastern Africa around 10,000 years ago.

How did smallpox spread throughout the world?

Smallpox spread through various means including Egyptian merchants, the Arab world during the Crusades, and with the Spanish and Portuguese conquests in the Americas.

What were the symptoms of smallpox infection?

Symptoms included fevers, vomiting, and rashes, with survivors bearing scars and scabs for life.

What was the mortality rate during the smallpox infection?

About 30% of infected people died during the second week of infection.

How did the practice of variolation start, and who was responsible for it?

Variolation started in 1022 A.D. by a Buddhist nun in Sichuan, China, who noticed survivors of smallpox did not get infected again and used smallpox scabs as a preventive measure.

What was the method used in variolation to protect against smallpox?

Variolation involved grinding up smallpox scabs and blowing the powder into the nostrils of healthy people.

Who was Edward Jenner and what was his contribution to smallpox?

Edward Jenner was an English physician who discovered that cowpox could be used to protect against smallpox, leading to the development of the smallpox vaccine.

What was the significance of cowpox in the fight against smallpox?

Cowpox is a less virulent disease that resembles smallpox. Jenner found that people who had cowpox were immune to smallpox, leading to the development of the smallpox vaccine.

How did Jenner prove that his vaccine was effective?

Jenner inoculated James Phipps with cowpox virus matter and later challenged him with smallpox, proving that he was immune to the disease.

When was smallpox officially eradicated, and who certified it?

Smallpox was officially eradicated in 1979, as certified by the World Health Organization.

Who are the key figures in the eradication of smallpox mentioned in the script?

Key figures include Edward Jenner, the Buddhist nun who initiated variolation, dairy maid Sarah Nelmes, and James Phipps, who was the first to be successfully vaccinated against smallpox.