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What you should know about smallpox
Is smallpox a threat?
Recent federal
smallpox vaccination recommendations for some health care, public health,
military and other emergency staff are part of ongoing national emergency
preparedness efforts. Smallpox vaccinations are not recommended for the
general public.
The last case of smallpox in the US occurred in 1949, and the last case
in the world occurred in Africa in 1977. The World Health Organization
declared that naturally occurring smallpox infection was eliminated from
the world in 1980. Routine vaccination against smallpox in the United
States ended in 1972, because suffering side effects from the vaccine had
become a greater risk than getting the disease in the Western Hemisphere.
However, some governments preserved samples of the smallpox virus, so
there is a remote risk that smallpox could be used as a biological weapon.
What is smallpox?
Smallpox is a severe infection caused by a virus - the Variola virus.
Prior to the discovery of a vaccine in 1796, smallpox infection was common
throughout the world.
How is smallpox spread?
People may get exposed to smallpox by coming into contact with the
droplets of saliva released when an infected person talks, coughs or
sneezes, or through direct contact with contaminated materials.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms begin to appear within 7 to 19 days after exposure to the
virus. Initial symptoms may include high fever (above 101° F), fatigue,
headache and backache. One to four days after the first symptoms, the
infected person develops a rash that is most prominent on the face, legs
and arms. The rash starts as flat, red lesions; over the next two days,
these lesions fill with pus. The lesions begin to form a crust early in
the second week of illness, and then develop into scabs. The scabs fall
off after three to four weeks.
How long is a person with smallpox contagious?
People with smallpox are not contagious until they develop a rash,
which may begin on the skin or in the mouth. They are most infectious
during the first week of illness because that is when the largest amount
of virus is present in saliva. However, risk of transmission lasts until
all scabs have fallen off (approximately three to four weeks).
What treatment is available for smallpox?
Although research continues, there is currently no proven treatment for
smallpox. Patients with smallpox can benefit from supportive therapy
(intravenous fluids, medicine to control fever or pain) and antibiotics
for any secondary bacterial infections. The majority of patients with
smallpox recover, but death occurs in up to 30 percent of cases. Smallpox
vaccine, if given to people who are exposed to smallpox within four days
of exposure, may lessen the severity of the illness or possibly prevent it
entirely.
What do I do if I have smallpox symptoms?
If you have symptoms, please consult a healthcare provider immediately.
Again, there is no evidence of increased risk of a smallpox outbreak or
bioterrorism attack using smallpox, but the United States does maintain an
emergency supply of smallpox vaccine. The vaccine is not available to the
general public because it presents a significant risk of severe side
effects.
Click here for information about the
smallpox vaccine.
Revised: 12/13/02
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