Jamie Lucas Jeff Foster Microbiology March 9, 2017 SMALLPOX 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,
Imagine a quick spreading rash throughout the entire body, leaving not a single space behind; every opening and crevice in your body, including your mouth and eyes covered in painful bumps accompanied by high fever and severe body aches. Flat red spots transforming into fluid-filled lesions and soon oozing out yellow pus, evidently emitting a pungent odor to anyone who dared get close. The live virus present in the darkening crusty scabs that would soon fall off only to leave behind a deep pitted scarred filled complexion on anyone who was fortunate enough to survive. These scars would be forever remembered as the hallmark for the smallpox epidemic which tormented the world for over 3,000 years. (Riedel “Deadly Diseases”).
One of the reasons is that it can be used as a bioweapon. Smallpox virus is considered as one of the worst virus for humans as it melts the skin of the body and destroys the internal tissues to painful health conditions (Henderson, 2011). Thus, supporters argued that retaining live smallpox viruses among the community is like having a biological weapon that could be used at any point (Lane et. al. 1999). According to American Medical Association 2010, smallpox was first used by British forces in 1767 as a bioweapon during the French and Indian Wars. Thus, more than50% of many affected tribes were killed. Overall, there is dangerous.
Variola rex (Smallpox) Smallpox is a virus that was first founded in ancient times. The virus?s proper name is Variola rex, and it has various different forms as well as various symptoms. Among these forms are typical smallpox, hemorrhagic smallpox, and malignant smallpox, all of which usually always cause death in their victims. Some of the typical symptoms of smallpox include red vesicles and pustules all over, bleeding from all orifices of the body, swelling in the face, throat, and eyes, difficulty eating and swallowing, delirium, malaise, deterioration of the bone marrow, lymph nodes and mucus membranes of the body, and a multitude of other secondary symptoms. Smallpox is typically diagnosed by ruling out the possibility of other
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 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.
variola major virus . (2012, January 18). Retrieved April 5, 2018, from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/variola+major+virus variola minor. (n. d.). Retrieved April 5, 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
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 of the major health event happen in the 1800s is when Edward Jenner, a english doctor create vaccination to cure smallpox. Edward jenner was born in may 17 1749 and died on january 26 1823 at the age of 74 from a massive stroke. He have safe many life. Smallpox is a contagious viral disease. It cause fever and left scar. Before smallpox is being cure over 400,000 unlucky people die each year from it. SmallPox have been all over the place in the old days. It was first being seen in china in the 4th century.It being said that every 3 out of 10 people died from it and who ever survive will have scar left on them. He thought of the idea when he know a dairymaid who said “i shall never have smallpox for i have had cowpox. I shall never
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 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
Timeline Smallpox had a very large timeline that affected many. First, smallpox was present in the Egyptian Empire, in a written description the virus clearly resembled smallpox, Later in about the 6th century increased trade with China and Korea introduced smallpox to Japan. Then, smallpox was widespread into India. Arab expansion then spreads smallpox to Africa, Spain, and Portugal. Last, The virus spreads everywhere. From travelers, people trading and, even just being in the same room of someone else who was infected. One more thing is, George
Being a highly contagious, deadly and airborne virus, it would be virtually impossible to completely eradicate smallpox. Peter Jahrling, the scientist that discovered the deadly Ebola-Reston virus, once stated, “If you really believe there's a bioterrorist threat out there, then you can't get rid of smallpox. If smallpox is outlawed, only outlaws will have smallpox ( Preston 4).” To date, only Russia and the United States have clearance to maintain the smallpox virus in two selected laboratories. Enforced by the W.H.O, this was mandated to ensure that the virus cultures could be heavily monitored and researched to prevent future outbreaks. Unfortunately, the power that is associated with having access to a virus as devastating as smallpox is often interwoven with greed. For example, in 1991, British inspectors discovered that the Russian government had been testing bio-nuclear weapons using smallpox in an unauthorized base ( Preston 6). Since smallpox can be used as a powerful weapon, there is no way to determine what country may try to obtain it. Additionally, even if a country was highly suspected of testing the virus for warfare, it would be difficult to prove that the country actually had virus cultures. During that same inspection in Russia, for instance, the head of the base that was testing this virus denied any association with the
Smallpox Smallpox is a highly contagious and fatal disease; there is no treatment available to smallpox, and the only way to avoid this infection is through primary prevention measures of vaccination. Smallpox has two clinical forms, variola major (most common) and variola minor (least common) with a fatality rate of 30% and 1% respectively. Variola major has four types of smallpox, ordinary (accounts for 90% of the cases), modified (occurs in vaccinated individuals), hemorrhagic (severe and rare), and flat or malignant (rare and fatal). Smallpox has been declared eradicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980, and vaccination of the general public has stopped shortly after; nevertheless, it is an agent of bioterrorism that is available in laboratory stockpiles worldwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004).
The Eradication of Smallpox Smallpox is a disease that has a very high infection rate within the human population. It is a pathogen caused by the Variola virus, of which the symptoms of this are high fever, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. There are two forms of smallpox, Variola major and Variola minor. Variola major is the most common of the cases which involves a higher fever and more extensive rash. However there are actually four different types of the Variola major and they are: Ordinary which is 90% of the cases, Modified which is mild and occurs in previously vaccinated people. And then there is Flat and Hemorrhagic, both are rare cases but very severe and fatal. The Flat-type which affects 5% of people with Variola