Sabin's vaccine was administered on a sugar cube soaked in liquid, eliminating the need for trained professionals to administer shots. In a few years, polio was virtually eliminated in the United States. Before 1963, when a vaccine was first used in the United States, there were about 500,000 reported cases and 500 deaths each year from measles, which is caused by a virus. Most deaths were among children younger than 5. A live-mumps vaccine was licensed in 1967.
Rubella is a viral infection that can occur in children and adults.
In pregnant women, the virus can cause birth defects. Before the use of the vaccine in this country, most cases of rubella occurred in children ages 5 to 9. In 1990, more than 1,000 cases of rubella were reported in the United States. Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, enters the body through a break in the skin. Pertussis, a very contagious disease that affects the lungs and airways, can lead to pneumonia, brain damage, and death.