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Variola Virus Research Paper

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A virus is an infecting agent. Viruses are non-living they need a living host, a living organism to replicate themselves. When it invades a cell it will implant their code that is capable of copying itself. This will cause a detrimental effect, corrupting the system ti its advantage or complete destruction.
Smallpox also called variola is a serious and deadly disease. It is highly contagious. It presents itself with rash of round pox (blsiters) on face, arms and legs. It is caused by the Variola Virus. There are two forms of this virus Variola Major the deadliest with about 30% of fatally; and Variola minor which had a fatality rate of about 1%. In the Unites States the last case was in 1949. Smallpox is rare since it has been eradicated …show more content…

During this period the person is not contagious. The first symptoms usually appear between the 12th or 14th day. After the incubation period a raveling onset of flu-like symptoms will unfold: high fever (a fever of 101 the person is highly contagious), chills, malaise, abdominal pain, headache, severe fatigue, severe back pain, vomiting, and overall discomfort. After these symptoms the rashes with flat red spots appear at this point the person is highly contagious; it will first appear on the face, hands, forearms, legs and later on the trunk. Many of the lesions will turn into small blisters filled with clear fluid which then turns into pus. After eight to nine days the blisters will be a scab which will begin to fall of leaving deep pitted scars.
Smallpox has no cure. Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine in 1798 by observing how milkmaids who had previously caught cowpox did not later catch Smallpox. He was able to show that inoculated cowpox protected against inoculated smallpox. There was a vaccination for Smallpox, but since the eradication is not administer no more. In the United States they stopped in the 1980. People that have received the vaccine is estimated by researchers that they retain immunity for ten

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