Smallpox in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa. II. Eradication using mobile teams.

Smallpox transmission was interrupted in the Republic of Guinea in January 1969, 13 months after the beginning of the National Smallpox Eradication Program, and after approximately 60% of the population had been mass vaccinated. The eradication strategy was founded on the recent epidemiology of smallpox in Guinea and surrounding countries. Tactics were based on use of mobile teams specifically trained for mass vaccination, assessment, surveillance, and epidemic investigation. Guinea was one of 15 West African countries officially certified by the World Health Organization in 1976 as having eradicated smallpox. Continued vigilance to detect any possible importation is needed and would best be part of a program to improve quarantinable disease surveillance. An acceptable immunity level to smallpox should be maintained in priority groups until worldwide smallpox eradication is achieved.