The vaccines we have today are pretty incredible. They've eradicated smallpox, purged rubella from the Americas, and save millions of people each year from dying of diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, and measles. When enough people get vaccinated, infectious diseases can't spread easily and everyone benefits from herd immunity.
The measles vaccine is generally considered to be one of public health's great success stories; just over a century ago, in 1920, more than 7,500 Americans died from measles, but within the past 10 years, not one person has died from the disease. According to a study published today in Science Translational Medicine, the measles vaccine has done more than protect against measles--it has made patients more resistant to a number of opportunistic diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and sepsis.
It's become a common refrain for any champion. As soon as you win the prize, a camera is there to hear the joyful refrain, “I'm going to Disneyland!” The carefully thought out marketing ploy has since become an analogy to reflect triumph in any arena. But the most recent visitor may have signaled a most unwanted victory.
