Who invented vaccination and How it changed the world

Vaccination is one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine, saving millions of lives from deadly diseases. But who invented vaccination and how did it evolve? Here is a brief history of the science and art of immunization. How Edward Jenner was the first to test a method to protect against smallpox scientifically.

History of Vaccination

The history of vaccination dates back to ancient times, when people in different parts of the world tried to prevent diseases by exposing themselves or others to small amounts of disease-causing agents. This practice, known as variolation, was based on the observation that people who survived a disease were immune to it.

The first documented use of variolation was in China, where people inhaled dried crusts from smallpox lesions as early as the 10th century. Variolation was also practiced in India, Africa, and the Ottoman Empire, where it was introduced to Europe by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who witnessed it in Turkey in the early 18th century.

However, variolation was risky and sometimes fatal, as it could cause severe infections or spread the disease to others.

Who invented vaccination

Edward Jenner, an English physician, developed a safer and more effective method of vaccination in 1796 using the cowpox virus to protect against smallpox, a related but more deadly virus.

Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox, a mild disease that could be transmitted from cows to humans, were immune to smallpox. He tested his hypothesis by inoculating a young boy, James Phipps, with material from a cowpox sore on a milkmaid’s hand. The boy developed a mild reaction but was later immune to smallpox. Jenner called his method vaccination, from the Latin word for cow, Vacca.

Jenner made a breakthrough discovery in the history of medicine, showing that a harmless agent similar to, but not the same as, the disease-causing agent could induce immunity. People widely adopted Jenner's vaccine and it led to the eradication of smallpox in 1980.

Impact of Vaccination

Vaccination has had a tremendous impact on the health and well-being of humanity, as it has prevented countless deaths and disabilities from infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccination prevents 2 to 3 million deaths every year from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, and polio.

Vaccination has also contributed to the social and economic development of the world, as it has reduced the burden of disease on individuals, families, and societies. Vaccination has enabled people to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives, and has reduced the costs of health care and lost productivity. The Vaccination has also fostered global solidarity and cooperation, as it has required collective action and coordination among countries and organizations.

However, Vaccination has also inspired scientific and technological innovations, as it has stimulated research and development of new vaccines and delivery systems. Vaccination has also advanced the fields of immunology, microbiology, genetics, and biotechnology, as it has revealed the mechanisms and interactions of the immune system and the pathogens.

How vaccines are developed

The development of vaccines is a complex and lengthy process that involves several stages of research, testing, and evaluation. The process can take from 10 to 15 years or longer, depending on the type and characteristics of the vaccine.

The first stage of vaccine development is the exploratory stage, in which scientists identify the disease-causing agent and its antigens, which are the molecules that trigger an immune response.

In the pre-clinical vaccine development stage, scientists test its safety, efficacy, optimal dosage, delivery method, and schedule in lab and animal models, also assessing side effects and interactions with other vaccines.

The third stage of vaccine development is the clinical stage, in which scientists test the vaccine in human volunteers in three phases of trials. Phase I trials involve a small number of healthy volunteers and aim to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the vaccine.

The Phase II trials involve a larger number of volunteers and aim to determine the optimal dose, schedule, and formulation of the vaccine, as well as its safety and efficacy. Phase III trials involve thousands of volunteers, and aim to confirm the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

In the vaccine development's fourth stage, scientists submit clinical trial data to regulatory bodies like the FDA or EMA for review and approval. These authorities evaluate the vaccine's quality, safety, and efficacy, and determine its authorization.

The vaccine's fifth stage entails mass production following GMP standards, with rigorous quality control and assurance tests for consistency, purity, potency, and stability.

The sixth phase of vaccine development is distribution, where scientists administer the vaccine to the target group, adhering to GDP.

Vaccine History Timeline

The history of vaccination is marked by many milestones and achievements, as well as challenges and setbacks. Here is a brief timeline of some of the major events and discoveries in vaccination history.

• 10th century: The earliest evidence of variolation against smallpox in China.
• 1796: Edward Jenner develops the first vaccine against smallpox using cowpox virus.
• 1885: Louis Pasteur develops the first vaccine against rabies using attenuated virus.
• 1890: Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato discovered the principle of antitoxin, which leads to the development of vaccines against diphtheria and tetanus.
• 1923: Alexander Glenny develops the method of adsorbing toxoids onto aluminum salts, which enhances the immunogenicity of vaccines.
• 1926: Gaston Ramon develops the method of detoxifying toxins with formaldehyde, which improves the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
• 1937: Max Theiler develops the first vaccine against yellow fever using attenuated virus.
• 1944: John Enders, Thomas Weller, and Frederick Robbins develop the technique of growing viruses in cell culture, which enables the development of vaccines against polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.
• 1955: Jonas Salk develops the first inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) using killed virus.
• 1961: Albert Sabin develops the first oral polio vaccine (OPV) using attenuated virus.
• 1963: Maurice Hilleman develops the first vaccine against measles using attenuated virus.
• 1967: Hilleman develops the first vaccine against mumps using attenuated virus.
• 1969: Hilleman develops the first vaccine against rubella using attenuated virus.
• 1974: The WHO launches the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), which aims to provide universal access to six vaccines: BCG, DTP, OPV, measles, tetanus toxoid, and hepatitis B.
• 1976: David Baltimore, Michael Bishop, and Harold Varmus discover the reverse transcriptase enzyme, which leads to the development of recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering, which enable the development of new types of vaccines.

Tested in human trials

• 1977: The last natural case of smallpox is reported in Somalia, marking the eradication of the disease.
• 1980: Hilleman develops the first vaccine against hepatitis B using recombinant DNA technology.
• 1981: Stanley Plotkin develops the first vaccine against rotavirus using attenuated virus.
• 1986: Rino Rappuoli develops the first vaccine against meningococcal meningitis using conjugate technology, which links polysaccharides to proteins to enhance the immune response.
• 1992: Margaret Liu develops the first vaccine using DNA technology, which introduces synthetic genes into the body to stimulate the immune response.
• 1995: The WHO launches the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), which aims to increase the access and availability of vaccines to low- and middle-income countries.
• 1998: Harald zur Hausen discovers the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, which leads to the development of vaccines against HPV.
• 2006: Ian Frazer and Jian Zhou develop the first vaccine against HPV using virus-like particles (VLPs), which mimic the structure of the virus without containing its genetic material.
• 2010: The WHO launches the Decade of Vaccines, which aims to extend the benefits of vaccines to all people by 2020.
• 2015: The last wild case of polio is reported in Nigeria, leaving only Afghanistan and Pakistan as the remaining endemic countries.
• 2019: The first vaccine against Ebola is approved by the FDA and the EMA, using recombinant VSV technology, which inserts a gene from the Ebola virus into a weakened vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).
• 2020: The first vaccines against COVID-19 are developed.

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