With such advancement in the medical field, cures for numerous diseases which were life-threatening are now available for every individual around the world. Throughout the last decades, the death rate due to diseases has lowered significantly. Some of the deadly diseases whose cure was found in the previous few decades are:
- Smallpox
- Chickenpox
- Measles
- Polio
- Rabies
- Shingles
Have a look at these in detail!
- Smallpox disease
WHO declared smallpox dead in 1980. Though its vaccine was introduced in 1796, it was not easy to get this vaccine out. Storing it was difficult, especailly in hot climate nations or states. After 150 years of making this vaccine perfect, it was spread systematically for eradicating smallpox. The serum was built using the principle which shows contracting small pox’s mild form prevents an individual from contracting it ever again. With this Edward Jenner developed a serum extracted from a cow suffering from cowpox. This negated the requirement for infecting people with strains of dangerous smallpox.
- Chickenpox
Varicella-zoster is a virus which causes chicken pox. People mostly experience this when they are young. Red blisters cover the whole body and having it once offers lifetime immunity. Most people experience this as a mild condition; it has a complication rate of 5-10 per cent that means it can be much severe than standard cases.
In Australia, annually over 240,000 chicken pox cases occur and more than 1000 suffer from severe conditions. This is why Varivax, a vaccine which counters this, eradicates any chance of having chicken pox. Also, it decreases the risk of having shingles.
- Measles
Four million individuals had measles in 1963. Among them, 3000 people succumbed to it and passed away. Doctors created the first vaccine a year after this incident. A person with this virus will have symptoms like pink eye, fever, a rash that spreads from face to other body parts and pneumonia occasionally. Measles’ weak form never grows into the life-threatening disease, and when introduced in a person’s body it provides lifetime immunity.
- Polio
Symptomatic polio has various characteristics such a muscle paralysis, death, etc. Dr Jonas Salk in 1955 invented a cure for Poliovirus or poliomyelitis. Doctors have to inject an individual with Polio’s deadly strain which immunises patient from this disease. In most countries, Polio is not a threat anymore.
- Rabies
In 2007, CDC (Center for Disease Control) declared that with proper vaccination rabies was eradicated from USA’s dog population. This disease infects canines’ nervous system, and humans can catch it from them. However, applying this vaccination within fourteen days after exposure, this anti-rabies dose will completely cure anyone.
- Shingles
Varicella zoster is also responsible for shingles which is a skin rash. People also know it as herpes zoster. Older people are prone to this as they have a weak immune system. However, even though it comes from strains which cause chicken pox, it is not so contagious. The anti-viral drug is enough to cure a person. However, in 2005, shingles’ vaccine came into existence. It not only cured this medical condition but also prevented it from happening.
These are just some of the diseases for which cure is available. All people need is to get shots at a correct time to eliminate the chance of such illnesses ever occurring.
