Smallpox
Smallpox, the scrounge of the previous centuries responsible for annihilating whole populations around the world, has practically been wiped out in the present century. However samples of the virus have been kept alive for research purposes in laboratories in the US and in Russia, and in recent times there has been a fear that these could be utilized for the wrong reasons – for example, as a form of biological weapons. If that were to happen it would be a new low, indeed, in human history.
What is Smallpox?
Smallpox is a highly contagious and grave viral infection that can prove fatal in 30% of the cases – in olden times, before the development of the Smallpox vaccine, the rate of fatality was even higher. The most recognizable aspect of Smallpox is the eruption of a pus-filled rash that covers the entire body of the infected person. These blisters often leave permanent disfiguring pock-marks. Sometimes the disease can cause blindness. The virus that causes Smallpox is called the Variola Virus.
There are two forms of Smallpox – the Variola Major, which is the more serious, and the Variola Minor. People who contracted the Variola Major usually collapsed almost immediately. With Variola Minor, the infected persons remained on their feet for a longer duration and so the risk of a spreading infection was higher with Variola Minor.
How is Smallpox spread?
As mentioned, Smallpox is a contagious, airborne illness and can be contracted by coming in contact with an infected person. The disease remains contagious even as the patient recovers. The virus can be transmitted through the patient's saliva, cough, the pus-filled blisters, clothes, bedding, and so on.
The disease is not spread through animals or insects.
Characteristics of Smallpox
Some 12 days after exposure to infection, Smallpox manifests itself in the form of a high fever and severe body aches. Within a couple of days, the blisters develop as reddish sores, fill out with pus and are particularly conspicuous on the arms, legs and face of the patient. It takes another week for the blisters to crust over and scab off.
Prevention of Smallpox
There was a worldwide and successful effort to put an end to this disease, beginning in the nineteen-fifties and ending in the nineteen-seventies. Given the highly contagious nature of Smallpox, this was done by quarantining infected persons and everyone coming in contact with them, and getting everyone vaccinated.
Smallpox rarely develops in vaccinated people, and so vaccination is really the best way to stop Smallpox. Vaccination within 3 or 4 days of coming in contact with the infection also helps in lessening the viral attack.
Until about 20 or 30 years ago, nearly everybody was inoculated with the Smallpox vaccine and eventually the disease was rooted out. Nowadays, since there has been no sign of the disease for a long time, the practice of inoculating has ceased.
The last known natural case of Smallpox in the world was in 1977 in Somalia. The last person to succumb to Smallpox was a woman photographer working in a British University where Smallpox research was being carried out; she contracted the disease and died.
In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Smallpox had been eliminated completely.
The Smallpox Vaccine
The Smallpox vaccine was developed by the Englishman Edward Jenner between 1796 and 1798. He had noticed how how milk-maids who had contracted cow-pox were made immune to the virus and he conducted several experiments to discover the reason. His research was greeted with fear and skepticism, but soon the practice of inoculation became widespread.
The Smallpox vaccine contains live Vaccinia Virus. It is generally quite safe to take the vaccine, but people with preexisting skin conditions and pregnant women are advised caution. There could be a chance of developing some unpleasant after-effects.
It is not known for how long the immunity against this disease lasts. In any case, the practice of getting vaccinated against Smallpox ended in 1972.
What is Smallpox?
Smallpox is a highly contagious and grave viral infection that can prove fatal in 30% of the cases – in olden times, before the development of the Smallpox vaccine, the rate of fatality was even higher. The most recognizable aspect of Smallpox is the eruption of a pus-filled rash that covers the entire body of the infected person. These blisters often leave permanent disfiguring pock-marks. Sometimes the disease can cause blindness. The virus that causes Smallpox is called the Variola Virus.
There are two forms of Smallpox – the Variola Major, which is the more serious, and the Variola Minor. People who contracted the Variola Major usually collapsed almost immediately. With Variola Minor, the infected persons remained on their feet for a longer duration and so the risk of a spreading infection was higher with Variola Minor.
How is Smallpox spread?
As mentioned, Smallpox is a contagious, airborne illness and can be contracted by coming in contact with an infected person. The disease remains contagious even as the patient recovers. The virus can be transmitted through the patient's saliva, cough, the pus-filled blisters, clothes, bedding, and so on.
The disease is not spread through animals or insects.
Characteristics of Smallpox
Some 12 days after exposure to infection, Smallpox manifests itself in the form of a high fever and severe body aches. Within a couple of days, the blisters develop as reddish sores, fill out with pus and are particularly conspicuous on the arms, legs and face of the patient. It takes another week for the blisters to crust over and scab off.
Prevention of Smallpox
There was a worldwide and successful effort to put an end to this disease, beginning in the nineteen-fifties and ending in the nineteen-seventies. Given the highly contagious nature of Smallpox, this was done by quarantining infected persons and everyone coming in contact with them, and getting everyone vaccinated.
Smallpox rarely develops in vaccinated people, and so vaccination is really the best way to stop Smallpox. Vaccination within 3 or 4 days of coming in contact with the infection also helps in lessening the viral attack.
Until about 20 or 30 years ago, nearly everybody was inoculated with the Smallpox vaccine and eventually the disease was rooted out. Nowadays, since there has been no sign of the disease for a long time, the practice of inoculating has ceased.
The last known natural case of Smallpox in the world was in 1977 in Somalia. The last person to succumb to Smallpox was a woman photographer working in a British University where Smallpox research was being carried out; she contracted the disease and died.
In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Smallpox had been eliminated completely.
The Smallpox Vaccine
The Smallpox vaccine was developed by the Englishman Edward Jenner between 1796 and 1798. He had noticed how how milk-maids who had contracted cow-pox were made immune to the virus and he conducted several experiments to discover the reason. His research was greeted with fear and skepticism, but soon the practice of inoculation became widespread.
The Smallpox vaccine contains live Vaccinia Virus. It is generally quite safe to take the vaccine, but people with preexisting skin conditions and pregnant women are advised caution. There could be a chance of developing some unpleasant after-effects.
It is not known for how long the immunity against this disease lasts. In any case, the practice of getting vaccinated against Smallpox ended in 1972.
Smallpox Info: What is Smallpox?
Smallpox was one of the dreaded diseases of the human race. Read on to learn about it.
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