Abstract

Over the past two centuries, vaccines have been critical for the prevention of infectious diseases and are considered milestones in the medical and public health history. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccination currently prevents approximately 3.5-5 million deaths annually, attributed to diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza, and measles. Vaccination has been instrumental in eradicating important pathogens, including the smallpox virus and wild poliovirus types 2 and 3. This narrative review offers a detailed journey through the history and advancements in vaccinology, tailored for healthcare workers. It traces pivotal milestones, beginning with the variolation practices in the early 17th century, the development of the first smallpox vaccine, and the continuous evolution and innovation in vaccine development up to the present day. We also briefly review immunological principles underlying vaccination, as well as the main vaccine types, with a special mention of the recently introduced mRNA vaccine technology. Additionally, we discuss the broad benefits of vaccines, including their role in reducing morbidity and mortality, and in fostering socioeconomic development in communities. Finally, we address the issue of vaccine hesitancy and discuss effective strategies to promote vaccine acceptance. Research, collaboration, and the widespread acceptance and use of vaccines are imperative for the continued success of vaccination programs in controlling and ultimately eradicating infectious diseases.

MeSH

Smallpox, Vaccines, Public Health, Vaccination, Vaccinology, Viruses, History, Communicable Diseases, Health Literacy, Vaccine Development, Vaccination Hesitancy

Cited by

• Achieving immunization milestones: Insights from Oman's national coverage survey. PLoS One, 2025
• Blood donor SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination and adverse outcomes in plasma and platelet transfusion recipients. Transfusion, 2025
• Childhood Mandatory Vaccinations: Current Situation in European Countries and Changes Occurred from 2014 to 2024. Vaccines (Basel), 2024
• Exposure to Pollutants and Vaccines' Effectiveness: A Systematic Review. Vaccines (Basel), 2024
• Tanzanian gut microbiota profiles linked to high but rapidly waning yellow fever antibody titers. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes, 2025
• Flu-Phobia: Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy in a Rural Primary Care Setting. Cureus, 2024
• Exploring the Role of Pattern Recognition Receptors as Immunostimulatory Molecules. Immun Inflamm Dis, 2025
• Post anti-rabies vaccine encephalitis presenting as acute psychosis: Case reports. IDCases, 2025
• Health Technology Assessment of Vaccines in Italy: History and Review of Applications. Vaccines (Basel), 2024
• Current Efficacy of Multiepitope Vaccines Against Helminths: A Systematic Review. Biomolecules, 2025
• Exploring health locus of control among vaccine-hesitant parents: a scoping review. BMJ Open, 2025
• Global research hotspots and trends of the vaccines: Based on ESI hot papers. Hum Vaccin Immunother, 2025
• Unity in Diversity and Diversity in Unity-Vaccination Policies in EU Countries. Healthcare (Basel), 2025
• Methods integrating innate and adaptive immune responses in human in vitro immunization assays. Front Immunol, 2025
• Adolescents' knowledge of and confidence in vaccines improves with board game play. Discov Educ, 2025
• Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy and Booster Dose Adherence Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Crete, Greece. Healthcare (Basel), 2025
• Navigating the Purification Process: Maintaining the Integrity of Replication-Competent Enveloped Viruses. Vaccines (Basel), 2025
• Segmenting attitudes toward vaccination - behavioral insights into influenza vaccination refusal in Romania. Germs, 2025
• Elegant and Innovative Recoding Strategies for Advancing Vaccine Development. Vaccines (Basel), 2025
• Essential programme on immunization in WHO South-East Asia: A five-decade journey of saving millions of lives & ending diseases. Indian J Med Res, 2024