Epidemic Typhus WW2

About Epidemic Typhus WW2

During World War II, epidemic typhus was a major threat. The disease killed millions during previous wars. Weigl vaccine production continued in Lviv under Nazi occupation. Rudolf Weigl employed Polish intellectuals and Jews as louse feeders, protecting many of them from deportation and persecution. In the US, the Cox vaccine was mass produced for troops using egg yolk technology. American soldiers in North Africa and Italy were vaccinated. The combination of vaccination and DDT delousing controlled typhus during and after the war. After the war, improved living conditions and DDT reduced typhus to rare levels globally. The story of Weigl and his team, who risked their lives to produce vaccine and protect colleagues, remains an inspiring example of science under oppression.