Ring vaccination


The vaccination of all susceptible individuals in a prescribed area around an outbreak of an infectious disease. Ring vaccination controls an outbreak by vaccinating and monitoring a ring of people around each infected individual. The idea is to form a buffer of immune individuals to prevent the spread of the disease.

Ring vaccination was used to control smallpox until the last naturally occurring case in 1977. When an infection was diagnosed, all people who were or may have been exposed were identified and vaccinated. Then, a second “ring” of people who may have been exposed to the first ring were also identified and vaccinated. Ring vaccination was also recommended by the American academy of Pediatrics in 2002 for smallpox, should there be another outbreak (from terrorism or whatever). Ring vaccination has been used successfully as a disease-control strategy under other circumstances, for example, to contain foot-and-mouth disease in livestock in the UK. Also known as surveillance and containment.

Read Also:

  • Ring, intrastromal corneal

    A plastic ring that is designed to be implanted in the cornea, the transparent structure at the front of the eye, to flatten the cornea and thereby reduce the degree of nearsightedness (myopia). The ring is placed in the corneal stroma, the middle of the five layers of the cornea.

  • Ringing in the ears

    Medically called tinnitus, can be due to many causes including ear infections, fluid in the ears, Meniere syndrome (the combination of tinnitus and deafness), some medications such as aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aging, and ear trauma (such as from the noise of planes, firearms, or loud music). In rare situations, tinnitus may […]

  • Ringworm (tinea)

    Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin previously thought to be due to a parasite (worm). The medical term for ringworm is tinea. The skin infections are sometimes characterized by round lesions in the upper layers of the skin. Fungi that cause ringworm are known as dermatophytes.

  • Ringworm of the nails

    People with diabetes; People with disease of the small blood vessels (peripheral vascular disease); and Women of any age who wear artificial nails (acrylic or “wraps”). Artificial nails increase the risk for onychomycosis because, when an artificial nail is applied, the nail surface is usually abraded with an emery board damaging it, emery boards can […]

  • Riot control agent poisoning

    rhinorrhea, burning, irritation, edema


Disclaimer: Ring vaccination definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.