Vaccination is the process of administering weakened or dead pathogens to a
healthy person or animal, with the intent of conferring immunity against a
targeted form of a related disease agent. The term was coined by Edward Jenner
and adapted by Louis Pasteur for his pioneering work in vaccination. Vaccination
(Latin: vacca?cow) is so named because the first vaccine was derived from a
virus affecting cows: the cowpox virus, a relatively benign virus that provides
a degree of immunity to smallpox, a contagious and deadly disease. In common
speech, 'vaccination' and 'immunization' generally have the same colloquial
meaning. Vaccination efforts have been met with some resistance since their
inception. Early success and compulsion brought widespread acceptance and mass
vaccination campaigns were undertaken which have greatly reduced the incidence
of many diseases in many areas. The eradication of smallpox, which was last seen
in a natural case in 1977, is considered the most spectacular success of
vaccination.