This February 17, Google decided to honor Japanese doctor Michiaki Takahashi in his doodle. A virologist who left an incalculable legacy by developing the first chickenpox vaccine. Which marked a before and after in the fight against this disease so common in children. I know his story.
Who was Michiaki Takahashi and why Google remembers him in his doodle
Michiaki Takahashi was born in 1928 in Osaka, Japan, after obtaining his medical degree from Osaka University. He joined the Research Institute of Microbial Diseases at Osaka University in 1959. After studying measles and polio viruses, Dr. Takahashi accepted a research fellowship in 1963 at Baylor College in the United States.
It was during this time that his son developed a severe bout of chicken pox, prompting him to use his expertise to combat the highly communicable disease.
Dr. Takahashi, whose birthday marks 94 years this Thursday
Dr. Takahashi, whose birthday is 94 on Thursday, returned to Japan in 1965 and began growing live but weakened chickenpox viruses in animal and human tissue. After only five short years of development, he was ready for clinical trials.
In 1974, Dr. Takahashi had developed the first vaccine against the chickenpox virus that causes chickenpox. He subsequently underwent rigorous research with immunocompromised patients and was shown to be extremely effective.
This virus, although it rarely leads to death, was a complication before the creation of the immunizer: children and adults (to a lesser extent) woke up with bumps, blisters and scabs. There was no protection against disease other than isolation, which was usually enough. But after having spent days of complications from the symptoms of the virus.
The vaccine has been administered to millions of children around the world.
In 1986, the Osaka University Microbial Disease Research Foundation initiated the release in Japan as the only World Health Organization-approved chickenpox vaccine.
In 1994, he was appointed director of the Microbial Disease Study Group at Osaka University, a position he held until his retirement.
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