First human infection with an avian influenza A H5N1 virus was identified in Hong Kong
In 1997, the H5N1 bird flu incident in Hong Kong was the first known instance of a purely…
The Interational AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) was launched
On Jun. 18, 1996, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) was launched, calling for the speedy development of…
Diagnostics | FDA | HIV
The FDA approved the first test for HIV antigen screening of blood donors
On Mar. 14, 1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of the first antigen…
Avian influenza H5N1 virus was first isolated from a farmed goose in China
In 1996, A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (H5N1), the precursor of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) was identified in…
Varicella virus vaccine, live was licensed for the active immunization of persons 12 months of age and older
On Mar. 17, 1995, the varicella virus vaccine, live (Varivax by Merck) was licensed for the active immunization…
The FDA approved the first US HIV test system using oral fluid samples
On Dec. 23, 1994, the FDA announced the approval of the first U.S. HIV test system using oral…
The Americas were certified polio-free
On Sept. 29, 1994, based on recommendations of the national certification committees and after review of surveillance and…
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), a causative agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma, was identified
In 1994, human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), a causative agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), was identified. HHV-8 is also…
Infectious molecular clone of a human T-cell leukemia virus was developed at Washington University – St Louis
In 1994, Washington University – St. Louis reseacher Lee Ratern, MD and colleagues announced they had developed an…
The CDC responded to a Hantavirus outbreak in the southwestern U.S.
In May 1993, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) responded to a Hantavirus outbreak in…
Testing of donor blood was implemented for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies (anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2)
On Jun. 1, 1992, the FDA recommended that all donated blood be screened for antibodies to human immunodeficiency…
Biotechnology | Infectious Disease | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
The Global Polio Laboratory Network was established
In 1990, the Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN) was formally established by the World Health Organization (WHO), national…
Dr. Steven A Rosenberg conducted the first human gene transfer trial
On May 22, 1989, Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg and his team at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) performed…
Lorne Tyrrell discovered the first antiviral drug to inhibit hepatitis B virus
In 1986, while teaching a graduate course at the University of Alberta, Dr. Tyrrell found clues that might…
Researchers at Oxford University released a genetically engineered baculovirus, the world’s first release of a biotech-generated virus
In 1986, researchers at the Institute of Virology at Oxford University released a genetically engineered baculovirus in what…
Biotechnology | FDA | HIV
The FDA approved the first test for HIV antbody screening of blood donors
On Mar. 2, 1985, the FDA announced the approval of the Abbott first antibody test kit to screen…
Dr Robert C Gallo reported the isolation of a new group of viruses found in the helper T-cells of patients with AIDS or pre-AIDS symptoms
On Apr. 23, 1984, a National Cancer Institute (NCI) scientist, Dr. Robert C. Gallo, reported the isolation of…
Biotechnology | CDC | HIV
The CDC established the National AIDS Hotline to address the number of calls concerning the AIDS virus
In 1983, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the National AIDS Hotline (NAH) to…
First human viral vaccine to prevent cancer (hepatitis B vaccine for liver cancer) was introduced
In 1981, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine for human use….
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Measles | Vaccine | WHO
The World Health Assembly certified the world free of naturally-occurring smallpox
On May 8, 1980, the World Health Assembly certified the world free of naturally-occurring smallpox. Smallpox is an…
NCI scientists isolated human T-cell lymphotrophic virus 1 (HTLV-1)
In 1980, National Cancer Institute (NCI) scientists isolated human T-cell lymphotrophic virus 1 (HTLV-1). This virus, which is…
McGill University researcher Dr. Kelvin Ogilvie developed Ganciclovir to treat or prevent cytomegalovirus infections
In 1980, McGill University researcher Dr. Kelvin Kenneth Ogilvie developed Ganciclovir to treat or prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections….
The first human RNA virus (HTLV-I) was discovered by NCI’s Dr Robert C Gallo
In 1979, the first human RNA virus (HTLV-I) was discovered by the National Cancer Institute’s Dr. Robert C….
Yellow fever vaccine (YF-Vax by Connaught) was licensed in the U.S.
On Jan. 3, 1978, the Yellow fever vaccine (YF-Vax by Connaught) was licensed in the U.S. The Yellow…
Biology | CDC | Diagnostics | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | NIH | Plague | Therapeutics | Vaccine
The CDC opened an expanded maximum containment lab (hot lab) for highly dangerous viruses
In 1978, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) completed construction of a new hot lab…
Virus particle structure was determined
In 1977, Harvard Medical School researcher Stephen C. Harrison first determined the structure of an intact virus particle,…
Ebola virus was first identified in Sudan and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)
On Oct. 13, 1976, the Ebola virus was first identified in Sudan and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of…
Interleukin-2 was discovered
In 1976, interleukin-2 was discovered and purified which allowed researchers to grow T-cells and study their immunology, which…
David Baltimore, Renato Dulbecco, and Howard Martin Temin awarded the 1975 Nobel Prize in Medicine
In 1975, Caltech President David Baltimore, former Caltech faculty member and Salk Institute researcher Renato Delbucco, and Caltech…
Stanford Medicine researchers isolated the genome of a virus that causes hepatitis B and a common form of liver cancer
In 1974, Stanford Medicine researcher William S. Robinson successfully isolated the genome of the hepatitis B virus, which is…