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The Hygienic Laboratory Moves
In 1891, The Hygienic Laboratory, originally the Marine Hospital, moved from Staten Island, New York to Washington D.C. The Laboratory was given the top floor of the Butler Building, which was located on Capitol Hill. The D.C. headquarters provided more space for research. The larger building also allowed for the addition of studies of chemistry, pathology, and pharmacology (National Library of Medicine, n.d.). -
Malaria Vector Discovered
Ronald Ross worked for the Indian Medical Service. He discovered the malaria parasite within Anopheles mosquitoes. He also studied the lifestyle of malaria parasites within these mosquitoes. Control and prevention methods were developed as a result of his work (Pande, Bahal, Dua Gupta, 2024). -
Typhoid Mary is Discovered
George Soper was hired to find the origin of the typhoid after multiple outbreaks in New York households. Soper was a sanitary engineer. In 1907, an outbreak in Manhattan led Soper to Mary Mallon. Mary was an Irish immigrant who often worked as a cook in households. All outbreaks were in households Mary worked in. Over 22 people fell ill. She was the first known healthy carrier of Salmonella typhi. This led to her nickname of 'Typhoid Mary' (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2025). -
Rickettsia ricketsii Isolated
Dr. Howard T Ricketts was the first person to discover the source of "black measles". In 1906, he discovered the disease was being transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni). In 1909, he isolated that bacteria from the wood tick. It was named Rickettsia ricketsii in honor of his discovery (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, n.d.). -
The Spanish Flu
The Spanish Flu, more commonly known as Influenza, claimed more than 21 million lives over the course of four months. It began in US military forts and spread as soldiers moved across the world during World War I. The "Purple Death" quickly became one of the largest pandemics in history. This illness was so drastic because of the major antigenic drift that the virus had undergone, leaving the human immune system essentially defenseless (Fujimura, 2003). -
Anthrax Vaccine Was Licensed
The current anthrax vaccine, Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, was licensed. The vaccine was originally manufactured by the Michigan Department of Health. It is recommended that people who work in labs or with animals that could be exposed to Bacillus anthracis be vaccinated. The United States military also has vaccinated its members to protect them from possible biological warfare. -
HIV-1 Is Isolated
Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier isolated and identified the virus responsible for the AIDS pandemic. It is commonly known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The virus affects the immune system. The discovery of this virus led to new strains being isolated. Treatment and vaccines were created after its discovery. The spread of AIDS decreased. Global campaigns were launched to study the virus. Many AIDS patients today are undetectable (Institut Pasteur, 2023). -
First Cases of Mad Cow Disease Reported
The first two cases were reported in the United Kingdom. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a brain disease caused by a prion and is fatal. The disease is spread through consuming feed containing remnants of infected animals. The disease would spread across the world. It is now controlled through feed policies. When a human consumes an infected animal, it causes Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This disease is fatal. BSE is now rare (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). -
West Nile Virus Arrives in the US
The West Nile Virus was first reported in New York City in 1999. This is the first time the virus was reported in the Western Hemisphere. This would lead to the 2002 North American outbreak. The virus is commonly known for being carried by mosquitos (Sejyar, 2003). -
Ebola Outbreak Begins
The largest Ebola virus disease outbreak in history took place from 2014 to 2016. The outbreak was primarily located in West Africa. The disease is severe and possibly fatal. Wild animals transmit the virus to humans, which then can transmit the disease to each other (World Health Organization, n.d.). -
Zika Causes WHO to Declare a PHEIC
During the months of February through November, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This was due to the Zika outbreak that was causing high rates of infants born with microcephaly. The disease is spread through Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. After 2016, the number of cases of the Zika virus disease declined (World Health Organization, 2022). -
COVID-19 is First Seen in China
Patients presented with a pneumonia-like illness in China. Within the first few days of 2020, WHO and the CDC got involved. Cases are reported around the world a few weeks later. The virus is transmitted from person to person. SARS-CoV-2 would cause one of the largest pandemics in history. The virus rapidly changes, making it difficult to control. The disease spreads fast and displays a wide range of symptoms. Vaccines became available in 2021 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).