Abstract

SERRANO BARRERA, Orlando Rafael. History of Immunology in Cuba from 1850 to half of XX century. Rev Cubana Hematol Inmunol Hemoter [online]. 2017, vol.33, n.2, pp.1-16. ISSN 0864-0289.

From the second half of XIX century most of immunological research carried out in Cuba was translated into major changes in the sanitary situation of the country. The foundation in 1868 of the Practical Institute of Animal Vaccine opened the gates of the first institution dedicated to the manufacturing, research and development in Cuba. Doctor Carlos Juan Finlay hypothesized that serotherapy from subjects who were immune after yellow fever could have a prophylactic effect on the non-exposed. The creation in 1887 of the Histobacteriological Laboratory and Anti-Rabies Institute placed Cuba at a world level in immunological research. On February 9th, 1912 the massive anti-typhoid vaccination started in the country, first in Latin America. The original case report of a malignant familial chronic neutropenia, unjustly known as Chediak-Higashi syndrome, was published by Dr. Antonio Beguez in the Boletin de la Sociedad Cubana de Pediatría, on 1943. Immunology has played an outstanding role in the development of medicine, sciences and public health in Cuba. The relevance of the immunological research carried out in Cuba is marked by some world-class results.

Keywords : history of medicine; immunology; vaccination; epidemics; antisera; antitoxins.

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