Smallpox

Smallpox is a serious viral disease that starts with fever, aches, fatigue, and vomiting, and progresses to a rash with blisters over much of the body. Initially, the rash may be confused with chicken pox. Smallpox spreads directly from person-to-person through airborne transmission. Since it is a virus, it does not respond to antibiotics. A vaccine exists but is not available for widespread use.

The name smallpox is derived from the Latin word for “spotted” and refers to the raised bumps that appear on the face and body of an infected person.

•There are two clinical forms of smallpox:

• Variola major is the severe and most common form of smallpox, with a more extensive rash and higher fever.

•There are four types of variola major smallpox: –ordinary (the most frequent type, accounting for 90% or more of cases), –modified (mild and occurring in previously vaccinated persons), –flat, and hemorrhagic (both rare and very severe).

Historically, variola major has an overall fatality rate of about 30%; however, flat and hemorrhagic smallpox usually are fatal.

Variola minor is a less common form of smallpox. It is also not as severe. Typical death rates have been about one per cent of those infected. It has been eliminated except for laboratory stockpiles.

Following the terrorist attacks and Anthrax letters of 2001 there is a concern about the variola strain being used as a bio-terror weapon.

Normally direct and prolonged face-to-face contact is required to spread the disease between people. It can also be spread via direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids or a contaminated object such as bedding or clothing. Humans are the only natural host for the virus and it is not known to be transmitted by insects or animals.

The disease has been eradicated and the last natural case occurred in Somalia in 1977. Thus the vaccine is not available to the general public. There is no treatment for the disease and the vaccine prevents the spread of the disease to others. In the event of an outbreak of the disease in the United States there are enough vaccines for everyone in the U.S.