Vaccines are a powerful tool in preventing the spread of infectious disease. Currently, vaccines are available to protect against more than 20 different diseases, including some forms of cancer. The most common diseases that vaccines prevent are polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, rotavirus, Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis A and B, influenza, and pneumococcal infection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vaccinations currently prevent more than 2.5 million deaths every year. Vaccines have helped to eliminate smallpox and have drastically reduced the incidence of polio, measles, rubella, and other diseases.
Vaccines have also played an important role in reducing the burden of disease caused by other infectious agents, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer in women. Vaccines can also help to reduce the occurrence of food- and water-borne illnesses, such as typhoid fever and cholera.
In addition, research is ongoing to create new vaccines to protect against additional diseases, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. While there is currently no vaccine available to prevent HIV, significant research is being conducted to develop an effective HIV vaccine.
In summary, vaccines are an important tool in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and currently, there are vaccines available to protect against more than 20 different diseases. Vaccines have successfully helped to eliminate smallpox and drastically reduce the incidence of many other diseases, such as polio, measles, rubella, and HPV. Research is also ongoing to develop additional vaccines to protect against other diseases, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS.