A post on the History of Vaccines blog earlier this month mentioned an outbreak of whooping cough in California, noting that at the time, four infants had already died from the disease. The death count has now reached five, all children less than three months of age, and the total number of confirmed cases reached 910 as of June 15th.
Smallpox, HIV, influenza: the names of these pathogens usually induce fear. Smallpox, although it has been eradicated for 30 years, killed millions in its time; HIV, a relative newcomer to the human race that appeared just a few years after smallpox was eradicated, infects 7,400 people each day.
Though not well known in the United States, Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a dangerous viral disease that is a major cause for concern in Africa.
International Health Regulations allow countries at risk for yellow fever transmission to request certificates of vaccination from foreign travelers.
