Prior to 1981, it was generally believed that medical science
in industrialized countries had advanced to the point
where infections and infectious diseases were no longer a
threat. For one thing, several effective antibiotics were available.
Penicillin and related antibiotic drugs (e.g., ampicillin)
that destroy bacteria—as well as newer, more powerful, antibiotics—
were able to tame infections that had been at one
time life-threatening diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, pneumonia,
and syphilis). In addition, strep throat (an infection caused by
the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes), common ear infections,
and dermatologic (skin) infections could all be handled by a
7- or 10-day course of antibiotics taken at home in the form of
pills, a liquid solution, or ear drops.
Other antimicrobial drugs
to fight microorganisms other than bacteria were available or
would be soon. For example, antiviral drugs that attack viruses
were just coming to the fore in the early 1980s. The antiviral
drug acyclovir, in particular, was almost revered as a wonder
drug by physicians and medical researchers. Acyclovir could
halt the herpes viruses that cause cold sores, chicken pox, and
genital herpes, leading to the disappearance of outward signs
of infection. Just prior to 1981, newly discovered antifungals
were found capable of inhibiting the growth of yeast and
molds responsible for fungal infections that affected diabetics,
organ or bone marrow transplantation recipients, and frail
elderly patients.