In Focus The global eradication of smallpox and the work of Frank Fenner CR Robert George and William Rawlinson Virology Division, SEALS Microbiology Prince of Wales Hospital Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia Email:
[email protected] The 1950s and 1960s represented a golden era in scientific poxvirus research. Multiple obituaries document his life, achieve- – discovery when many believed science would solve the ments, and his death in November 20102 10. world’s greatest problems. It was the era when colour tele- A DNA virus called variola (Orthopoxvirus, Poxviridae) causes vision was introduced and the role of DNA described, space smallpox. Case fatality rates varied depending on the infection type, programmes, the introduction of vaccines for polio, measles reaching up to 30% in the historically most common form variola and mumps, and the structures of proteins began to be major11. Smallpox has influenced the course of history and deci- described. Many discoveries were controversial, but there mated populations. For example, historians have debated whether was a strong belief science was taking the world forward and up to one-third of the Aztec population was decimated by smallpox reducing medical problems rapidly. The Intensified Small- in 1520 after Hernando Cortes accidently introduced the virus thus pox Eradication Program (ISEP) won united support from facilitating the European conquest of South America12. Elsewhere, both the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the native Virginian inhabitants were depopulated to one-third of their United States of America (USA). The initiative was passed by former number in 1689, and numerous North American tribes were only a small margin (two votes) and came on the back of affected13.