There is a prevalence of parasitic diseases among poor urban families in the U.S., according to Dr. Peter Hotez of the George Washington University. Other ailments like dengue fever and Chagas disease associated with developing nations may also become more common in America due to climate changes.

While these ailments do not claim lives, they negatively affect the development of a child, his intellectual development, hearing and could cause heart disease. As the malady affects poor people, it perpetuates their state of poverty since the infections could last for years or lifetimes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday announced that it has destroyed 12 million doses of Dryvax, the original smallpox vaccine. Other health departments and the military were also advised to do the same by Feb. 29.

Dryvax - produced by scraping virus off the skin of infected calves is now replaced by a new-generation smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000. The new live, vaccinia virus smallpox vaccine was licensed for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration in August 2007. It is derived from plaque purification cloning from Dryvax

"Polio will be history, like smallpox," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, believing total eradication is within sight.

And Ban credits the efforts of Chicago-based Rotary International and other United Nations partners in this effort

"Polio will be history, like smallpox," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, believing total eradication is within sight.

And Ban credits the efforts of Chicago-based Rotary International and other United Nations partners in this effort

"Polio will be history, like smallpox," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, believing total eradication is within sight.

And Ban credits the efforts of Chicago-based Rotary International and other United Nations partners in this effort