Which disease is known to be eradicated by humans?

Smallpox is recognized as the only human disease that has been completely eradicated through a successful global vaccination campaign. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox eradicated in 1980, following extensive vaccination efforts that resulted in the disease being eliminated from human populations worldwide.

The eradication of smallpox is a significant milestone in public health, showcasing the effectiveness of coordinated global health initiatives and vaccination strategies. Unlike smallpox, diseases such as measles and polio have not been eradicated; they continue to circulate, although they have been significantly reduced in many parts of the world due to vaccination. Rinderpest, while eradicated in animals, does not affect humans and therefore does not relate to the eradication of a disease in humans. The successful elimination of smallpox remains a unique case in the history of infectious disease control.