Should the last smallpox viruses be destroyed?

Debate about the destruction of the last smallpox viruses

05/20/2014

Now 34 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the world free of smallpox. At that time, a global vaccination campaign had succeeded in eradicating the dangerous plague. In two laboratories, the last smallpox viruses are still stored. The WHO now wants to decide whether they should be destroyed.

Common cow and monkey pox
Between 300 and 500 million people are said to have fallen victim to the highly contagious disease in the 20th century alone. Although it is 37 years ago that a person naturally infects with smallpox, scientists do not rule out that the disease could eventually break out again. Therefore, in their opinion, the remaining pathogens should be retained for research purposes. In the last two smallpox laboratories, among other things, better vaccines and medicines will be developed under the supervision of the WHO. It is feared that animal smallpox species, such as the widespread cow or monkey pox could jump through human mutations and so could revive the disease.

People get involved in animals
Although people are always infected with animals, there is still no direct transmission from person to person. Like Gerd Sutter, virologist at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich opposite the „star“ explained that the viruses of cow and monkey pox are genetically more than 95 percent identical to the causative agent of human pox. He also said that they assume, „that the human pox originated from an animal reservoir“ and it is conceivable that someday a virus will re-emerge which is transmitted from person to person.

Old vaccines are considered risky
For the fourth time this week, WHO is addressing the question of whether more research on the living virus is needed to protect us. In order to give researchers more time to develop effective vaccines and medicines, the decision was last adjourned in 2011. It was said that the old vaccines of the 1970s are now considered too risky and outdated. But only in 2013, a new smallpox vaccine was approved in the EU. At the end of last year, two commissions of experts decided that research into the virus was no longer needed for both the vaccine situation and public health.

Smallpox viruses as a biological weapon
However, the two commissions did not agree on whether the virus was still needed for the development of antiviral drugs. Since a possible use of smallpox viruses as a biological weapon is conceivable, smallpox vaccines are produced in many countries in order to be able to vaccinate the affected population in an emergency. Various states, as well as the Federal Republic, therefore hoard millions of doses of vaccine, in order to be prepared for a possible emergency. (Sb)