Will Disease Ever Be Eradicated?

Two infectious diseases have successfully been eradicated: smallpox in humans and rinderpest

in ruminants. There are four ongoing programs, targeting the human diseases poliomyelitis (polio), yaws, dracunculiasis (Guinea worm), and malaria.

Can a disease be completely eradicated?

Without an effective treatment against a disease there is no possibility of eradicating it. The treatment can be either preventative, such as vaccination, or curative, such as drugs that can completely eliminate the pathogen that causes the disease from its host.

Which disease is most likely to be eradicated?

Polio and Guinea worm are the diseases that have the best chances of being eradicated next. The number of cases of both have decreased dramatically over the last 35 years.