La epidemia de viruela en la Alcaldía Mayor de Tegucigalpa año 1815 / The smallpox epidemic in the Mayoralty of Tegucigalpa year 1815

En 1815 una epidemia de viruela ingresó a la Alcaldía Mayor de Tegucigalpa que, a pesar de los esfuerzos de las autori-dades por esparcir la vacuna, causó estragos en la población indí-gena. Al mismo tiempo, en la época lluviosa de ese año, las lluvias fueron menores a lo acostumbrado, provocando el fracaso de las plantaciones, lo que llevó a una escasez de granos y a una hambru-na generalizada en el territorio. En este escenario, el Alcalde Mayor Simón Gutiérrez se vio obligado a cobrar el tributo de los pueblos indígenas, maniobrando políticamente la situación para evitar algu-na revuelta de la población. La epidemia de viruela y la hambruna ejemplifican la aplicación de política sanitaria en la Honduras colo-nial, destacando las maneras en que las acciones individuales de los funcionarios eran un ejercicio de administración de la vida de los habitantes de la provincia. De manera similar, en 2020 los intere-ses políticos y económicos han interferido en la prevención efectiva contra el COVID-19...(AU)

Analysis of a previous smallpox vaccination study: estimation of the time period required to acquire vaccine-induced immunity as assessed by revaccination.

The time interval required to develop immunity after vaccination, in the event of a bioterrorist attack using variola virus, is yet to be clarified. In this article, a historical vaccination study conducted in Japan in 1929 was re-examined. Forty-four previously vaccinated and 44 unvaccinated children were involved. After successful first round primary (or re-) vaccination, all children underwent revaccination at variable intervals. Absence of a major reaction (vaccine 'take') after revaccination was taken as a sign of immunity conferred by first round primary (or re-) vaccination. Univariate analysis was employed to examine the relationship between vaccine 'take' and the exposure variables. Maximum likelihood estimates of the time period required to develop immunity were obtained using a simple logit model. The interval between vaccinations was significantly associated with vaccine 'take' in both the previously unvaccinated (p < 0.01) and vaccinated (p < 0.01) groups, and the median interval required for immunity after vaccination was estimated to be 6.4 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 5.8, 7.1] and 4.3 days (95 % CI: 4.1, 4.7), respectively. Obtained estimates were consistent with previous observations, and the logistic fits reasonably explained the discrepancy among previous suggestions. The findings suggest that it is necessary to vaccinate exposed susceptible individuals within 3 days after exposure to ensure disease protection, and within at least 5 days (for those previously unvaccinated) to provide a certain level of protection; the probability shows a dramatic decline hereafter.