Isao Arita | |
|---|---|
| 蟻田功 | |
| Born | 1926 Kumamoto, Japan |
| Died | (aged 96) Kumamoto, Japan |
| Known for | Eradication of smallpox |
| Awards | Asahi Prize (1980) Japan Prize (1988) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Virology, vaccination, public health |
| Institutions | World Health Organization |
Isao Arita (蟻田 功, Arita Isao, 1926 – 17 March 2023) was a Japanese physician, virologist and vaccination specialist who headed the World Health Organization (WHO) Smallpox Eradication Unit in 1977–85. During this period, smallpox became the first infectious disease of humans to be eradicated globally. He and his colleagues were awarded the Japan Prize in 1988 for this work. He also advised the successful programme to eradicate poliovirus from the Western Pacific region.