Smallpox Smallpox is/was the most serious threat to human health throughout the world. The point of this paper is to educate and inform the reader facts and information about Small Pox. Smallpox is a contagious disease that is caused by the Variola virus. Smallpox is transmitted through person to person by face to face contact, direct contact with contaminated fluids and objects, and rarely, through the air. (NIH.) Smallpox is a very serious illness caused by a virus called the Variola virus, it usually leaves permanent scars. Smallpox gets its name from the pus-filled blisters (or pocks) that form during the illness. Although the names may sound similar to chicken
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When 72 to 96 hour time passes after infection the virus begins growing in the bloodstream. People who have developed smallpox initially develop signs of fever, body aches, headache, chills, and backache. Over half of people with smallpox experience chills, vomiting and occasionally experience confusion. A rash appears 48 to 72 hours after the original symptoms and turns into virus-filled sores, which later scab over. The virus is highly contagious as it moves into the mucous membranes after the rash appears. The body casts off the cells, and virus particles are liberated to be coughed or sneezed into the atmosphere. For about three weeks around the time the scabs fall off (leaving a light-skinned scar) the rash the infected person will be infectious. Live virus can be existing in the scabs. ( …show more content…
According to the (British Broadcasting Corporation) in the 20th century alone their has been an estimated of three hundred million deaths. But it wasn’t until 1798 the vaccine was invented. Thanks to the contribution of Edward Jenner. The smallpox vaccine was used until the early 1970s in the U.S and other countries. The smallpox vaccine protects against infection by helping your body develop immunity. The smallpox vaccine like most vaccines is made from a live virus that’s very similar to the original virus. Although the smallpox vaccine helps it can be harmful to people with weak immune systems because instead creating immunity it attacks their immune systems. The reason why the U.S stops using the vaccine was because the virus disappeared. (Mayo
When 72 to 96 hour time passes after infection the virus begins growing in the bloodstream. People who have developed smallpox initially develop signs of fever, body aches, headache, chills, and backache. Over half of people with smallpox experience chills, vomiting and occasionally experience confusion. A rash appears 48 to 72 hours after the original symptoms and turns into virus-filled sores, which later scab over. The virus is highly contagious as it moves into the mucous membranes after the rash appears. The body casts off the cells, and virus particles are liberated to be coughed or sneezed into the atmosphere. For about three weeks around the time the scabs fall off (leaving a light-skinned scar) the rash the infected person will be infectious. Live virus can be existing in the scabs. ( …show more content…
According to the (British Broadcasting Corporation) in the 20th century alone their has been an estimated of three hundred million deaths. But it wasn’t until 1798 the vaccine was invented. Thanks to the contribution of Edward Jenner. The smallpox vaccine was used until the early 1970s in the U.S and other countries. The smallpox vaccine protects against infection by helping your body develop immunity. The smallpox vaccine like most vaccines is made from a live virus that’s very similar to the original virus. Although the smallpox vaccine helps it can be harmful to people with weak immune systems because instead creating immunity it attacks their immune systems. The reason why the U.S stops using the vaccine was because the virus disappeared. (Mayo