No human diseases have been completely eradicated globally except for **Smallpox, but several, like Polio, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, have been eliminated from specific regions (like Australia) through vaccination, while Guinea Worm Disease is close to eradication. Diseases are eliminated (gone from a region) or eradicated (gone from the world), with smallpox being the only global eradication so far, thanks to vaccines and global efforts.
So far, only two diseases have been successfully eradicated—one specifically affecting humans (smallpox) and one affecting cattle (rinderpest).
So far, the WHO has only two (2) eradicated diseases on their list. All thanks to the success of vaccines, smallpox caused by the variola virus (VARV) and rinderpest from the rinderpest virus (RPV) are now entirely wiped out of existence.
In 2020, the RNTCP was renamed as the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) to emphasize the aim of the Government of India to eliminate TB in India by 2025, five years ahead of the global targets of 2030.
Take, for example, these six diseases that may be cured within our lifetime.
Abstract. The six killer diseases, malaria, tuberculosis, measles, acute lower respiratory infections, diphtheria, and whooping cough, represent the most significant contributors to the overall global burden of disease.
Reemerging diseases include:
The number one killer in the world is cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, responsible for about one-third of all global deaths, claiming nearly 18-20 million lives annually, and remains the leading cause across all regions, according to WHO and World Heart Federation. While COVID-19 caused significant deaths in recent years, CVD has consistently held the top spot for decades, with increases seen globally, especially in younger populations.
One of the deadliest diseases known to humans, smallpox remains the only human disease to have been eradicated. Many believe this achievement to be the most significant milestone in global public health.
Huntington disease is an inherited, neurodegenerative disorder. If a parent has the condition, each child will have a 50% chance of developing the disease.
Medical professionals call high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, the silent killer because it can go undetected for a long period of time and leads to death. Most people who have high blood pressure do not have any symptoms; testing is the only way to determine if someone has it.
Due to changes starting in October of last year, there are now six vaccines no longer recommended for routine use by all children in the United States: rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and meningococcal vaccines.
Leading Causes of Death
Smallpox is the only human disease to be eradicated — here's how the world achieved it.
Medical conditions that still remain incurable
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often called the "silent killer" for good reason.
The number one cause of death globally and in many countries like the U.S. is Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs), primarily Coronary Heart Disease (Ischaemic Heart Disease), followed closely by Dementia (including Alzheimer's), while in some regions like Australia, Dementia has recently surpassed heart disease as the top cause for females, and overall in recent reports, with heart disease often #1 or #2. Other major killers include cancers (especially lung cancer), stroke, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Record numbers of men and women globally are now estimated to have reduced kidney function, a new study shows. Figures rose from 378 million people with the disease in 1990 to 788 million in 2023 as the world population grew and aged, making it for the first time a top 10 cause of death worldwide.
30 to 50: a quantum leap
Finally, looking ahead half a century, experts predict the emergence of highly effective treatments and even cures for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. There is no doubt that considerable progress has been made in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, particularly cancer.
Measles makes a comeback: four charts show where and how. With gaps in vaccine coverage, nowhere is safe from measles outbreaks. But the disease has hit the Americas hard this year. A surge in measles cases has cost Canada its official measles-free designation — and the United States looks likely to follow suit.
Tuberculosis is one of the oldest diseases in the history of mankind with evidence of tubercular decay found in some Egyptian mummies from 3000-2400 BC 2. The study of tuberculosis was also known as phthisiatry from phthisis, the Greek term for tuberculosis.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a disease entity characterized by sudden onset fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash which can quickly progress to hypotension, multiorgan system failure, and even death.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Hypertension, often nicknamed the “silent killer,” is one of the most common health problems worldwide, affecting over 1.4 billion adults in 2024 alone.
Fifth disease is a common viral infection with rash caused by a virus called parvovirus B19. The rash usually appears 4-14 days after the start of the infection. People can be contagious without ever having any signs or symptoms. Outbreaks occur in the late winter and early spring.