The eradication of smallpox: Jenner's posthumous triumph (1959–1979)

The eradication of an infectious disease is no easy task, but it has been achieved on several occasions, usually in a small area and one surrounded by the sea, limiting the return of the infectious agent in question. Unfortunately the eradication of all pathogenic agents is only remotely possible at present, even with all our current knowledge and methods. In fact, before any attempt is made, certain questions have to be asked. The analysis of all these factors should lead to a decision being made. National or international organizations need to take sufficient interest in the problem and generate the necessary funds to allow action to be taken. In the case of human diseases, some success has already been achieved. The most famous success by far is the demise of smallpox, which Jenner had predicted almost two hundred years earlier. The eradication of smallpox was, at the global level, a magnificent technical feat, certainly equal to man's landing on the moon.