Many diseases were once big killers.
Diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pertussis, rotavirus, and smallpox, etc.
Some still are.
There Is a Vaccine For That
Fortunately, many have been brought under control thanks to vaccines, at least in certain parts of the world.
Smallpox, of course has been eradicated.
Polio, will hopefully soon be next.
What other diseases do we have vaccines to protect us against?
You might be surprised that the list is so long, as many of these vaccines aren’t routinely used in developed countries, but “we” have a vaccine for:
- adenovirus
- anthrax
- chicken pox
- cholera
- dengue
- diphtheria
- hepatitis A
- hepatitis B
- hepatitis E
- HPV
- Haemophilus influenzae type b
- influenza
- measles
- meningococcal disease types A, B, C, W, Y
- mumps
- pneumococcal disease
- pertussis
- polio
- Q-fever
- rabies
- rotavirus
- rubella
- smallpox
- shingles
- tetanus
- tick-borne encephalitis
- tuberculosis
- typhoid fever
- yellow fever
- COVID-19
Other diseases, including Rocky mountain spotted fever, plague, and typhus, were once vaccine-preventable, but their vaccines were discontinued and are no longer available.
How many of these available vaccines are on the CDC immunization schedule?
In the United States, children routinely get 13 vaccines that protect them against 16 vaccine-preventable diseases including diphtheria, chicken pox, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Hib, HPV, influenza, measles, meningococcal disease, mumps, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus, rubella, and tetanus.
And adults can get the shingles vaccine and pneumonoccal vaccines.
Some of the other vaccines on the list are also given in special situations, like if your kids have chronic medical problems, or if they travel out of the country.
What to Know About Available Vaccines
We are fortunate that there are vaccines for many diseases that once caused deadly epidemics and outbreaks and unfortunately are still around in many parts of the world.