Review article

https://doi.org/doi.org/10.59323/k.15.1.10

Variola Vera – The Smallpox Epidemic of 1972

Marin Vlasnović ; Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Based on publicly available sources, the work presents the epidemic of variola vera, i. e. smallpox, that swept the world in 1972, which broke out in the former Yugoslavia. Based on publicly available sources, the paper presents an epidemic of variola vera, i. e. smallpox, that swept the world in 1972, and broke out in former Yugoslavia. In just a few weeks, health authorities managed to vaccinate 18 million people and keep the death toll below 40, while hospitals today struggle to retain quality doctors and medical staff who are taking better conditions abroad. The Institute of Immunology in Zagreb made a great contribution to the production of vaccines. In the end, 2.5 million inhabitants of Croatia were vaccinated, and everyone had to receive the vaccine, except for those for whom it would cause contraindications. Croatia at the time brought the smallpox epidemic under control. A total of 175 people fell ill in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, of which 35 died, and no deaths occurred in Croatia. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the eradication of that virus two years later. For the purposes of this work, the archival material of the Yugoslav communist regime, the State Security Service (SDS) from that period was also consulted.

Keywords

disease ; vaccine ; medicine ; history of medicine ; variola vera

Hrčak ID:

319004

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/319004

Publication date:

9.7.2024.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 0 *