Bioterrorism with Smallpox Essay

Smallpox is a disease caused by a poxvirus that is caught from person to person that causes high fever, and rash, that can kill about 1/3 of those who caught the disease. Smallpox (also called variola) is the only disease that has been fully cured. Smallpox is also almost one of the most scary deaths ever. Not one documented naturally occurring case of this very infectious, deadly disease hasn't occurred since 1977. (An unvaccinated hospital cook in Somalia was the last person to naturally contract smallpox.) The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared smallpox eradicated in

Smallpox is formally known as the Variola virus. Smallpox is a viral infection creating pustules that more than likely will leave scars. This infectious disease creates high fevers and major fatigue in individuals. Smallpox is another disease that reflects the primary goal of vaccinations, eradication. As of today, research has shown that smallpox is the only disease that has been completely eradicated due to vaccinations. With this being said, the allowance of discontinuation of routine immunizations has been set in place. Children who receive these vaccinations only receive one dosage of the vaccination to prevent smallpox. Unlike many other diseases, children receive one to two, maybe even three doses to prevent a certain disease ("Disease Eradication"). The last case of smallpox in the United States was last reported in 1948 and the last case of smallpox in the world was last reported in 1948, in Somalia ("Smallpox Disease

In a letter to Patrick Henry in 1777, George Washington wrote of Small Pox “I know that it is more destructive to an army in the natural way than the sword”. At times the most minute things have the most immense impact on our lives, such was the smallpox Epidemic of 1775. It is not known how or where the outbreak began, but by 1775 it was raging through Boston. The devastation of Smallpox during 1775 played a key role in the outcome of the revolutionary war and in shaping modern medicine and how we handle diseases. But these medical advances didn't come without terrible sacrifice. Nearly 30% of people living in the Americas or 130,658 would succumb to smallpox. The death rate of Variola Major, which is the common form

Smallpox is a viral infection caused by Variola major. This infection is currently one of the most dreaded diseases, and is believed to be more dangerous than the enemy’s sword. The exposure is usually an infection of the respiratory tract. After exposure, early symptoms are: headaches, back aches, fever, vomiting, discomfort, and feeling out of sorts. These symptoms go away usually in two days, and the patient feels better. Then about two days later, the patient has a flustered face, and lesions on the mouth, throat, and nasal membranes. At 5 days past exposure, red rashes and bumps appear on the skin, bleeding through skin, and mucous membranes. If the patients bleeds through their eyes, gums, or nose, the patient will not live much longer, but that is not usually the case. The bumps may touch each other or they may be separate from each other. If the bumps do not touch, the patients has a good chance of surviving. But if the bumps do touch, the patient has a forty percent chance of surviving. Dehydration is common in patients because it may be painful or difficult to drink. Around day ten, the bumps will become soft, and blisters will form. The fluid in the bumps is absorbed because of dehydration. A smell often comes from cracked bumps, and a second bacterial infection may occur due to the openings in the body. Two weeks after initial symptoms, the bumps and blisters are replaced by scabs. One week later the fever disappears, the patient returns to a normal life, and the

Smallpox is a highly contagious virus that has no known cure. Variola, is the name of the virus that caused one of the largest epidemics known to man. Smallpox killed nearly 500 million people in the 20th Century alone. Before Smallpox was eradicated it killed nearly 60% of all infected people. Smallpox has been coexisting with humans for thousands of years and has a very long history.

Smallpox is an infectious virus that has influenced people for many centuries. Smallpox got its name from a latin word called ¨spotted¨ since you get those bumps that are red all over your body. You could easily prevent this disease.

Despite smallpox’s long history of harm, killing nearly 300 million people in the twentieth century alone, it is now considered eradicated thanks to a vaccine and vaccination program lead by the World Health Organization. Because of its eradication,

One threat that smallpox poses, is the use of it in biological warfare. According to Colette Flight, "in the 1990s the public discovered that Russia planned to turn smallpox into an effective weapon".

The brutal symptoms of smallpox reveal why the disease is known as one one of the deadliest in history. Smallpox slowly deteriorates the victim in distinct symptom stages. Symptoms begin to display after approximately ten days since the victim was exposed to the Variola virus. Suddenly, the victim will feel flu-like symptoms including headache, fever, overall discomfort, severe back pain, vomiting, and severe fatigue (“Smallpox.”). Brutal symptoms such as these, unfortunately, are only the beginning for a terrible disease such as smallpox. Next, symptoms become much more visible. After a day or two the forearms, face, and hands will develop flat, red spots. Red spots will eventually develop into small to moderate blisters which are

Smallpox was once one of the most severe infectious diseases that was endemic throughout the world for most of the recorded history. It is caused by variola virus (a DNA virus and a member of the Poxviridae family), and characterized by three phases: incubation, prodrome and rash. This disease killed and disfigured innumerable millions of people globally.

Smallpox is an acute contagious viral disease, with fever and pustules usually leaving permanent scars. Although there is no cure, there is a vaccine that can help protect you from it. It is called vaccinia and is a poxvirus closely related to the smallpox. Live vaccinia infects the people but it does not make them sick. A smallpox particle can either make or consist of around two hundred different types of protein. In the center of the mulberry of a smallpox particle, there is an odd shape that looks like a dumbbell, this is the

Smallpox is caused by the variola virus an extremely contagious disease. That can be spread through any type of contact with the virus. The virus is a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus, in the Poxviridae family. Smallpox has been considered eradicated in the United States since 1972. Virologists have speculated that it evolved from an African rodent poxvirus 10 millennia ago. The name is derived from the Latin word for "spotted" and refers to the raised bumps on the face and body of the patient. (Medscape.com) Smallpox has been to blame for the extinction and almost extinction of many cultures. The disease has been used as biological warfare since the beginning or war. At times,

Throughout history, smallpox has been one of the dreaded scourges that inflicted mankind. World Health Organization (WHO) stated that smallpox is responsible for the 300 million death cases worldwide in the twentieth century. (Fenner, Henderson, Arita, Jezek , & Ladnyi, 1988) (Plotkin, 2004) It was only after Dr Edward Jenner’s development on the principle of vaccination that provided the only accurate technique for the prevention of smallpox. The introduction of vaccinia vaccine enabled the global eradication of naturally occurring smallpox in 1970, it is recorded that the last known smallpox case recorded was in Somalia after the eradication. (Rappuoli, Miller, & Falkow, 2002) Jenner’s procedure has been a highly effective immunizing agent, however, it seemed that it isn’t a successful fighter to disease because it carries high incidence of adverse side effects and severe complications. (Madigan, Martinko, Stahl , & Clark, 2012)This

Just like the bubonic plague, there are also variations to smallpox. For instance, there are two clinical forms of smallpox, variola major and variola minor (CDC para. 2). Variola major is the more severe and common of the two, characterized by a more extensive rash and higher fever (CDC para. 2). There are four types of variola major smallpox. There is ordinary, the most common type; modified, which is mild and occurs in previously vaccinated people; flat, which is very rare and brutal; and hemorrhagic, which is also very infrequent and severe (CDC para. 2). The symptoms of

The large, double-stranded DNA genome of the Variola virus, which uses its genome to distract the host’s innate immune responses, was greatly observed by Edward Jenner to create a vaccine against smallpox using the cowpox virus. This form of immunization was shared by Jenner to many others in the hopes of ending the deadly virus. Then, Henderson worked with three advantages which lead to smallpox eradication. First, a low-cost, heat-stable vaccine and a bifurcated needle to go with it. Second, a disease that is easily diagnosed due to its’ signature rash. Lastly, the fact that there are no other reservoirs for the virus other than humans and that there are no asymptomatic carriers. This allowed for the implementation of the surveillance-containment