Acres S E, Varughese P V
Can Med Assoc J. 1985 Mar 15;132(6):635-9.
Vaccination has dramatically reduced the morbidity and mortality rates of a number of diseases. The crucial element of vaccination programs is commitment to widespread coverage and to containment of outbreaks. Vaccines have led to virtual elimination of poliomyelitis and promise to eliminate measles. The incidence of congenital rubella syndrome will probably only be diminished if vaccination is extended to all 1-year-olds and susceptible prepubertal girls. The employment of diphtheria toxoid is one of the great success stories in public health. The incidence of pertussis has declined because of the diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine given to infants, although elimination of the disease will probably have to await development of a more potent pertussis antigen. A remarkable reduction in the incidence of tetanus and tuberculosis has also been achieved.
疫苗接种已大幅降低了多种疾病的发病率和死亡率。疫苗接种计划的关键要素是致力于广泛覆盖以及控制疫情爆发。疫苗已几乎消除了小儿麻痹症，并有望消除麻疹。如果将疫苗接种扩大到所有1岁儿童和易感的青春期前女孩，先天性风疹综合征的发病率可能才会降低。白喉类毒素的使用是公共卫生领域的重大成功案例之一。由于给婴儿接种了白喉-百日咳-破伤风（DPT）疫苗，百日咳的发病率有所下降，不过要消除这种疾病可能还得等待更有效的百日咳抗原的研发。破伤风和结核病的发病率也已显著降低。
