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As the fight against COVID-19 continues & public-health measures wear on, it may be encouraging to recall our many public-health victories of the past.
Here's a short list of diseases that were once devastating but we rarely think of anymore.
(Warning: Some gross images ahead.)
Here's a short list of diseases that were once devastating but we rarely think of anymore.
(Warning: Some gross images ahead.)
Victory #1: Diphtheria
Before vaccines, this was a leading cause of childhood death.
Sufferers could develop a thick coating of dead tissue in their throats, making it hard to breathe & swallow. Advanced cases led to heart failure.
Horrific stuff we almost never see now.
Before vaccines, this was a leading cause of childhood death.
Sufferers could develop a thick coating of dead tissue in their throats, making it hard to breathe & swallow. Advanced cases led to heart failure.
Horrific stuff we almost never see now.
Victory #2: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Before vaccines, this was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis among young children the United States, which could lead to brain damage and deafness.
It spiked in Alberta in the 1980s but only appears sporadically today.
Before vaccines, this was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis among young children the United States, which could lead to brain damage and deafness.
It spiked in Alberta in the 1980s but only appears sporadically today.
Victory #3: Hepatitis A
This virus attacks the liver and can cause all sorts of nasty gastro-intestinal symptoms. It can be especially serious for people who are pregnant.
Food-handling standards and vaccines have made infections relatively rare in recent decades in Alberta.
This virus attacks the liver and can cause all sorts of nasty gastro-intestinal symptoms. It can be especially serious for people who are pregnant.
Food-handling standards and vaccines have made infections relatively rare in recent decades in Alberta.
Victory #4: Measles
This is a big one.
Before widespread vaccines, epidemics would happen every 2 or 3 years and annual measles deaths were in the millions, globally.
It's still a major killer in some parts of the world but cases are rare in Alberta.
This is a big one.
Before widespread vaccines, epidemics would happen every 2 or 3 years and annual measles deaths were in the millions, globally.
It's still a major killer in some parts of the world but cases are rare in Alberta.
Victory #5: Pertussis a.k.a. whooping cough
This disease used to show up cyclically until various vaccines knocked it back. Alberta hasn't seen a major outbreak in 30 years.
It still kills tens of thousands of people each year around the world. Babies are especially vulnerable
This disease used to show up cyclically until various vaccines knocked it back. Alberta hasn't seen a major outbreak in 30 years.
It still kills tens of thousands of people each year around the world. Babies are especially vulnerable
Victory #6: Polio
Another big one.
In the past, polio could kill hundreds of Canadians a year and leave thousands with various degrees of paralysis.
Vaccines have since eradicated polio in most parts of the world, although efforts are ongoing to fully stamp it out.
Another big one.
In the past, polio could kill hundreds of Canadians a year and leave thousands with various degrees of paralysis.
Vaccines have since eradicated polio in most parts of the world, although efforts are ongoing to fully stamp it out.
Victory # 7: Smallpox
This one is a total victory over a horrific disease.
Symptoms included mouth ulcers & skin blisters. It was often fatal, especially in children. Survivors were often left with massive scarring.
Smallpox was eradicated globally more than 40 years ago.
This one is a total victory over a horrific disease.
Symptoms included mouth ulcers & skin blisters. It was often fatal, especially in children. Survivors were often left with massive scarring.
Smallpox was eradicated globally more than 40 years ago.
There are, of course, many more examples.
You can find more info (and the source of all the Alberta-specific charts) here, in the "Alberta Notifiable Disease Incidence: A Historical Record, 1919-2014":
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/09ff0f40-1cfc-48fd-b888-4357104c3c32/resource/c5ceca04-ccda-4811-9ed0-03a3cbe8c0fb/download/7019844-notifiable-disease-incidence-1919-2014.pdf
You can find more info (and the source of all the Alberta-specific charts) here, in the "Alberta Notifiable Disease Incidence: A Historical Record, 1919-2014":
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/09ff0f40-1cfc-48fd-b888-4357104c3c32/resource/c5ceca04-ccda-4811-9ed0-03a3cbe8c0fb/download/7019844-notifiable-disease-incidence-1919-2014.pdf
