These and other observations of acquired immunity were later exploited by Louis Pasteur in his development of vaccination and his proposed germ theory of disease. Pasteur's theory was in direct opposition to contemporary theories of disease, such as the miasma theory. It was not until Robert Koch's 1891 proofs, for which he was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1905, that microorganisms were confirmed as the cause of infectious disease.The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1905 Nobelprize.org Retrieved on 8 January 2009. Viruses were confirmed as human pathogens in 1901, with the discovery of the yellow fever virus by Walter Reed.Major Walter Reed, Medical Corps, U.S. Army Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Retrieved on 8 January 2007.
These and other observations of acquired immunity were later exploited by Louis Pasteur in his development of vaccination and his proposed germ theory of disease. Pasteur's theory was in direct opposition to contemporary theories of disease, such as the miasma theory. It was not until Robert Koch's 1891 proofs, for which he was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1905, that microorganisms were confirmed as the cause of infectious diseaseThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1905 Nobelprize.org Retrieved on 8 January 2009 Viruses were confirmed as human pathog.ens in 1901, with the discovery of the yellow fever virus by Walter Reed.Major Walter Reed, Medical Corps, U.S. Army Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Retrieved on 8 January 2007.