Smallpox has been eradicated. Why do humans store smallpox virus samples?

What is the deadliest virus in human history? It may be smallpox virus that everyone has forgotten, and human beings are the only host of this virus.

The earliest record of this virus was found on the mummy head of Ramses V, which has a history of 3,000 years, and it was in the 1980s that humans really eliminated this virus.

1980 on may 8, the world health organization announced that smallpox had been completely eradicated by human beings.

This is the only fight against the virus in human history, but we will not forget that this virus has caused billions of deaths in thousands of years of history.

Our magic weapon to defeat this virus is vaccine. In fact, China started vaccination very early (16th century Ming Dynasty), but people didn't know the reason at that time, and people were vaccinated with human pox. Because of its toxicity, people vaccinated are in danger of being infected.

But it also controlled the development of smallpox to a great extent.

Until 1796, edward jenner, an Englishman, discovered that there was cross-immunity between vaccinia and smallpox (human pox), and it was very safe to vaccinate people with vaccinia, so he invented the earliest smallpox vaccine.

At this point, humans have been able to control smallpox. Since vaccination began, the number of people who died of smallpox has dropped sharply. During the period of 1895, countries such as Norway, Iceland and Sweden successively eliminated smallpox virus.

However, the virus is still raging around the world. The victory of a country or region does not mean the victory of all mankind, because as long as the virus is not completely eliminated, it is still possible to continue to spread.

However, in order to control and eradicate smallpox worldwide, even if there is a vaccine, it needs the cooperation of all mankind. So/kloc-Although there was a vaccine in the 0/8th century, smallpox spread to the last century.

It was not until 1967 that WHO called on all countries in the world to launch a final attack on smallpox. At that time, smallpox had been completely eradicated in North America and Europe, but it was still spreading in relatively backward places such as Asia, South America and Africa.

The final general attack received responses from all over the world, and smallpox was completely eradicated by means of large-scale vaccination and isolation, which is why most people now have marks on their arms.

Rahima Banu (1975) and Ali Maow Maalin (1977) are the last two naturally occurring smallpox cases, which occurred in Bangladesh and Somalia respectively, but both survived after treatment.

1978 Janet Parker, a medical photographer, was infected with smallpox in the research laboratory of Birmingham University School of Medicine. At that time, 500 people were inoculated in isolation, and the epidemic situation was controlled one month later.

But unfortunately, Janet Parker became the last person to die of smallpox. Two years later, in 1980, who declared that human beings had completely defeated smallpox.

This is a war without smoke, which lasted for thousands of years and cost billions of lives. It is more terrible than any disaster in history.

Smallpox viruses have lost their hosts, and their final result is death. However, in 1979, human beings decided to keep smallpox virus samples in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Russian Institute of Vectors.

As for why smallpox virus should be preserved, there has always been controversy.

Since 1980s, the World Health Organization has been advocating the destruction of existing smallpox virus stocks. However, due to the resistance of all parties who advocate keeping the virus, the deadline for destroying the virus has been continuously extended.

The last meeting of 20 17 reached the same conclusion, and the virus has been saved.

So what are the people who advocate the elimination of the virus worried about?

Those who are in favor of destroying the virus must be worried that the virus may be accidentally released. For example, the last person who died of smallpox mentioned above was caused by the accidental leakage of virus in the laboratory.

Whether it is man-made or accidental, smallpox is dangerous to human beings as long as it exists, because our next generation is rarely vaccinated with smallpox now, and it will spread if it is leaked out.

On September 20 19 16, an explosion occurred in the Russian virus laboratory where samples were stored, which once again triggered people's doubts about destroying virus samples as soon as possible.

People are worried that smallpox virus will be used as a biological weapon. This virus can easily be used to turn into an epidemic again, leading to human death.

However, both the United States and Russia said that they kept the virus only for research. Of course, people also believe their stories, but who can guarantee that they didn't use smallpox to develop biological weapons?

Humans are the only host of smallpox. If this virus is modified and mutated, it will lead to a large-scale disaster. This virus is much more serious than COVID-19, which is popular now.

Those who advocate preserving the virus must be studying it.

Because in recent years, with the emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), SARS, Ebola, COVID-19 and other deadly infectious viruses, people have fully realized that viruses may always accompany human development, and no one knows what will happen next.

There are many kinds of viruses in nature, so far we have only found the tip of the iceberg. And the viruses we know are constantly mutating, and the next super infectious disease may be the relatives of smallpox.

If we destroy all the genetic heritage left by smallpox, then we will be in a passive position. So although smallpox has been eliminated, we still have to continue our research. After all, we know very little about viruses.

In addition, if a mad scientist or terrorist creates a genetically modified, more deadly smallpox virus, we still need the stored gene reserve so that we can develop a feasible antidote or vaccine.

In fact, in 20 1 1, both the United States and Russia believe that we need to keep smallpox virus strains to fight bioterrorism. Therefore, the position of those who suggest preserving viruses is that in the foreseeable future, we need to continuously collect and preserve various viruses.

The complete eradication of smallpox will be an irreversible decision, and once it is completed, it will be irreversible. If you need it in the future, you can only regret it.

There is a very good saying: be close to your friends, but be close to your enemies. This is the so-called know yourself and know yourself, and you are invincible.

As long as smallpox is strictly preserved, it will no longer cause harm to human beings.

label

So what do you think? Do you think mankind should completely destroy the enemy, or leave them to continue their research?