Smallpox - facts about the horrific disease

Causative agent – Variola major and variola minor

Type of microbe – Virus

Incubation period on average – 12 to 14 days, (not contagious) other sources state 10-12 days.

Main transmission mode - HUMANS, face to face contact, infected bodily fluid, contaminated objects. 

Reservoir – humans are the only natural hosts of variola, insects and animals are not known to transmit smallpox.

1.      Initial Symptoms (Prodrome ) Duration: 2 to 4 days- Sometimes contagious and includes  fever, malaise, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. The fever is usually high, in the range of 101  to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.       Early Rash (Duration: about 4 days) most contagious

3.       Pustular Rash(Duration: about 5 days) Contagious

4.       Pustules and Scabs (Duration: about 5 days)

5.        Contagious Resolving Scabs (Duration: about 6 days) Contagious

6.        Scabs resolved =Not contagious

• Thought to have originated as an animal virus, the first evidence in humans was the remains of Pharaoh Ramsey 5th that is thought to have died in 1157 BC by smallpox.          

•      Killed 300 million in the twentieth century alone.

• The World Health Organisation began a twelve year worldwide eradication program  in 1967. 

• 1977 was the last case of smallpox.

• 1980 the WHO reported that smallpox was eradicated.