Commentary: More than Just Luck-The Impact of Dr. George W. Comstock on Tuberculosis in the 20th Century

摘要

When one thinks of advances in the field of tuberculosis in the 20th century, the name George W. Comstock immediately comes to mind. Described by Dr. Moyses Szklo as the "best epidemiologist", Dr. Comstock received numerous honors and has many distinctions to his credit. He also authored more than 300 publications and multiple book chapters, gave countless lectures and seminars, and mentored numerous students.Dr. Comstock's work spanned more than 65 years and covered diverse topics including smoking, cardiovascular disease, and the effects of tuberculosis in various populations. Dr. Comstock, with Dr. Lundin, is responsible for conducting the first effective case-cohort study that associated maternal smoking with fetal and neonatal death. Dr. Comstock's most prolific contributions were to the field of tuberculosis. Among his most important tuberculosis-related accomplishments were studies of bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine efficacy, including a 60-year follow-up of the long-term efficacy of such vaccines.