CDC disease detectives investigated outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in Zaire and Sudan, later named Ebola
In 1976, patients began presenting at a rural hospital in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo (then referred to…
Baruch Samuel Blumberg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine
In 1976, Baruch Samuel Blumberg from the Institute for Cancer Research in Philadelphia was awarded the Nobel Prize…
Biology | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
The World Health Assembly created the Expanded Programme on Immunization to bring vaccines to the world’s children
In 1975, The World Health Assembly passed a resolution to create the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to…
Lyme Disease was identified and named
In 1975, Lyme Disease was identified and named at Yale University. The spirochete that causes Lyme disease was…
The CDC established the vessel sanitation program alongside the cruise ship industry
In 1975, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the vessel sanitation program alongside the…
The first monovalent (group C) meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Merck) was licensed
On Apr. 2, 1974, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed the first monovalent (group C) meningococcal…
Satoshi Ōmura Discovered the pioneering Wonder Drug drug ivermectin
In 1973, Satoshi Ōmura discovered the extraordinary microorganism that produces the avermectins (from which ivermectin is derived) that…
The U.S., the Soviet Union and 70 other nations signed an agreement banning biological warfare
On Apr. 10, 1972, the United States., the Soviet Union and 70 other nations sign an agreement that…
Toxoplasma gondii in cats’ fecal stages identified as coccidian oocysts
On Feb. 6, 1970, a report identified a coccidian parasite of cats with all non-feline warm blooded animals…
first human case of mpox Reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo
In 1970, the first human case of mpox was reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)…
The CDC opened its first biological containment lab
In 1969, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opened its first permanent high-containment laboratory (HCL)…
A second live, further attenuated measles virus vaccine was licensed
On Nov. 26, 1968, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed a second live, further attenuated measles…
Mumps virus vaccine live (MumpsVax by Merck) was licensed
On Dec. 28, 1967, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Mercks mumps virus vaccine live (MumpsVax)….
Study showed relationship between human and avian flu viruses
In 1967, Dr. H.G. Pereira and colleagues propose a relationship between human and avian flu viruses after a…
The Serum Institute of India was founded
On Jun. 12, 1966, the Serum Institute of India was founded in 1966 by Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla with…
Agriculture | Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Infectious Disease | Life Science News | USDA | Veterinary
USDA eradicated New World screwworm from the United States
In 1966, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) eradicated New World screwworm (NWS) from the United States using sterile…
The FDA licensed amantadine, a new antiviral medication, as a prophylactic against influenza A
In 1966, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed amantadine (marketed as Symmetrel) to Du Pont, a…
CDC – NASA Technology of Spacecraft Sterilization report released
On Feb. 9, 1965, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – NASA Technology of Spacecraft…
A virus (the Epstein-Barr virus) was linked to human cancer (Burkitt lymphoma) for the first time
In 1964, a new herpesvirus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), was discovered in cultured tumor cells derived from a Burkitt…
Trivalent oral polio vaccine was licensed
On Jun. 25, 1963, the Trivalent oral polio vaccine was licensed. The vaccine development began in 1957 by…
U.S. Congress established the Immunization Grant Program
In 1963, the U.S. Congress established the Immunization Grant Program; polio incidence plummeted to only 396 reported cases…
Oral polio vaccine type 3 and trivalent product licensed in the U.S.
On Mar. 27, 1962, the Sabin oral polio vaccine (OPV) type 3 MOPV was licensed in the U.S.,…
Oral polio vaccine types 1 and 2 was developed by Dr. Albert Sabin
In 1962, oral polio vaccine types 1 and 2, developed by Dr. Albert Sabin and grown in monkey…
CDC launched the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System
In 1962, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System….
Outbreak in South Africa raises possibility of wild birds as a possible reservoir for influenza A viruses
In 1961, influenza virus was first isolated from wild birds in South Africa, from common terns (Sterna hirundo)….
U.S. Surgeon General recommended annual influenza vaccination
In 1960, the U.S. Surgeon General, in response to substantial morbidity and mortality during the 1957-58 pandemic, recommends…
mpox was first discovered
In 1958, mpox (MPVX) was first discovered when two nonfatal outbreaks of a pox-like disease were reported in…
The CDC responded to cholera and smallpox epidemics in what is now Bangladesh
In 1958, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent a team of EIS officers to…
New H2N2 flu virus emergedﾠ to trigger a pandemic
In Feb. 1957, a new influenza A (H2N2) virus emerged in East Asia, triggering a pandemic (“Asian Flu”)….
Dr. Jonas Salk received gold medal from President Dwight Eisenhower, designating him “a benefactor of mankind”
On Jan. 27, 1956, Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the Polio vaccine released in 1955, received a special…