Vaccines have literally transformed the landscape of medicine over the course of the 20th century.
Before vaccines, parents in the United States could expect that every year:
 | Polio would paralyze 10,000 children. |
| Rubella (German measles) would cause birth defects and mental retardation in as many as 20,000 newborns. |
| Measles would infect about 4 million children, killing 3,000. |
| Diphtheria would be one of the most common causes of death in school-aged children. |
| A bacterium called Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) would cause meningitis in 15,000 children, leaving many with permanent brain damage. |
| Pertussis (whooping cough) would kill 8,000 children, most of whom were under the age of one. |
The development and use of vaccines has reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled children and adults just a few generations before. For most American's today, vaccines are a routine part of healthcare.
However, the disappearance of many childhood diseases has led some parents to question whether vaccines are still necessary. In addition, a growing number of parents are concerned that vaccines may actually be the cause of diseases such as autism, hyperactivity, diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among others. These concerns have caused some parents to delay or withhold vaccines for their children. Specific information on each of these concerns is found by linking from his page to
www.vaccine.chop.edu/concerns www.cdc.gov/nip| Disease |
Max. cases reported |
Year max. reported |
Reported cases 2000 |
% decrease |
| Smallpox | 48,164¹ | 1900-1904 | 0 | 100% |
| Diphtheria | 175,885 | 1921 | 1 | 100% |
| Pertussis | 147,271 | 1934 | 7,867 | 94.7% |
| Tetanus (lockjaw) | 1,314 | 1948 | 35 | 97.3% |
| Polio (wild virus) | 16,316 | 1952 | 0 | 100% |
| Measles | 503,282 | 1941 | 86 | 100% |
| Mumps | 152,209 | 1968 | 338 | 99.8% |
| Rubella | 47,745 | 1969 | 176 | 99.6% |
| Congenital Rubella Syndrome | 823 | 1964-65 | 9 | 98.9% |
| H. Influenzae Type b and unknown (<5 yrs.) |
20,000² | 1984 | 112 | 99.4% |
| Hepatitis B | 26,654 | 1985 | 8,036 | 69.9% |
1Average annual number of cases during 1900-1904.
2 Estimated number of cases from population-based surveillance studies before vaccine licensure in 1985.
Sources:
The article that follows is available on the website of the National Immunization Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The article is updated periodically with new information and is available at:
www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/fs/gen/WhatIfStop.htm.
