Global Immunization: Diseases and vaccines - A World View
Each year, about 75 percent of the world’s children receive vaccines that protect them against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles. These vaccines save about 2.5 million lives, and the hepatitis B vaccine, although not as widely used, saves about 600,000 lives.
Despite this success, at least 2.1 million people die from vaccine-preventable diseases each year. Approximately 1.4 million of these deaths are in children less than 5 years old. Of the top 10 causes of death in those less than 5 years old, several are infectious, meaning they can be transmitted from one person to another.
Top 10 causes of death in children less than 5 years old
- Perinatal conditions
- Lower respiratory infections*
- Diarrheal diseases*
- Measles*
- Malaria
- Congenital anomalies
- HIV*
- Pertussis*
- Tetanus
- Malnutrition
*cause infections that can be passed to others
Worldwide disease incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases
Even though some diseases may not be making people sick in your neighborhood, they may be common in other parts of the world. Given that people commonly travel for business, to visit family and friends, with relief groups, and for vacation, the viruses or bacteria that cause diseases can easily “hitch a ride.” Here is a look at the worldwide prevalence of many vaccine-preventable diseases:
| Disease | Worldwide Cases/Year | Worldwide Deaths/Year | U.S. Cases/Year | U.S. Deaths/Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthrax | 2,000 | Unavailable | 1-2 | 0 |
| Cholera | 132,000 | 2,000 | 10 | 0 |
| Diphtheria | 185,000 | 5,000 | < 5 | < 1 |
| Hepatitis A | 1.4 million | Unavailable | 32,000 | 100 |
| Hepatitis B | 2 billion | 600,000 | 46,000 | 5,000 |
| Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) | 2-3 million | 400,000 | 70 | < 5 |
| Human Papillomavirus | 500,000 cases of cervical cancer | 300,000 | 6 million infections 11,000 cases of cervical cancer | 4,000 |
| Influenza | 1 billion | 400,000 | 30 million | 36,000 |
| Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) | 35,000-50,000 | 10,000-15,000 | < 1 | < 1 |
| Meningococcus | 300,000-500,000 | 26,000 | 1,000-3,000 | 120 |
| Measles | 21.5 million | 197,000 | < 100 | 0 |
| Mumps | 408,000 | Unavailable | 300 | 0 |
| Pertussis | 12.6 million | 294,000 | 10,000-20,000 | 140 |
| Pneumococcus | Unavailable | 1.6 million | > 42,000 | > 6,000 |
| Polio | < 2,000 | Unavailable | 0 | 0 |
| Rabies | 10 million | 50,000-60,000 | 1 | 0 |
| Rotavirus | 1.4 billion | 449,000 | 2.7 million | 20-60 |
| Rubella | 196,000 | Unavailable | 10 | Unavailable |
| Shingles | 2.5 million | Unavailable | 1 million | Unavailable |
| Tetanus | 7.1 million | 213,000 | 40 | 4 |
| Tuberculosis | 9 million | 1.7 million | 13,300 | 600 |
| Typhoid | 21.5 million | 200,000 | 400 | Unavailable |
| Varicella (Chickenpox) | 60 million | Unavailable | 613,000 | < 10 |
| Yellow Fever | 200,000 | 30,000 | 0 | 0 |
|
*Data represented in this table was compiled from multiple sources and in most cases rounded to the nearest thousand. The information presented represents the most recent data available. If you know of updates, please contact us by e-mailing contactPACK@email.chop.edu |
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