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SMALLPOX
By: Makayla Claiborne and Amber Howard
What is Smallpox?
• Smallpox also called variola is defined as an acute infectious
disease, meaning that it has a short infected period. It was
declared eradicated in 1980 (Utah Department of Health Bureau
of Epidemiology, 2002).
• It is a highly infectious disease spread by face to face contact,
direct contact, contact with infected bodily fluids or objects that
may be contaminated with that of an infected individual (Utah
Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology, 2002).
Symptoms
Stages of rash
• Symptoms appear within 1-2
weeks
• High fever
• Chills
• Head aches and body aches
• Nausea
• Occasional vomiting
• (Utah Department of Health
Bureau of Epidemiology, 2002).
• Macules: Rash starts out flat
• Papules: Progresses to raised
bumps
• Vesicles: Bumps are filled with
clear fluid
• Pustules: Clear liquid changes to
pus
• The bumps scab and fall off
leading to scars
Prevalence
• The last naturally occurring case was reported in 1977 in
Somalia, the last reported U.S case was in 1949 (Department of
Health Information for a Healthy New York, 2011).
• World Health Organization declared it eradicated in 1979 and
now considered a weapon that can be intentionally released for
bioterrorist attacks (Department of Health Information for a
Healthy New York, 2011).
• Kept in two laboratories today, in the U.S and Russia (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2009).
Prevention
There is only one prevention people have used. The vaccine
for the smallpox is highly effective in preventing the disease.
The vaccine is actually not created by the killed virus, but
rather a living “pox”-type virus.
Treatment
• Unfortunately, there has been no known remedies that can cure this virus.
Instead, the treatments that are given give supportive care while the body
fights off the disease.
• This includes:
1. Intravenous (IV) fluids
2. Medications controlling the fever and/ or pain
3. Antibiotics to prevent secondary infections
ECONOMIC IMPACT
SOCIAL IMPACT
RESOURCES
•Utah Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology. (2002). Smallpox
(Variola). [Accessed 11 March 2013]. Retrieved from:
http://health.utah.gov/epi/fact_sheets/smallpox.html
•Department of Health Information for a Healthy New York. (2011).
Smallpox. [Accessed 11 March 2013]. Retrieved from:
http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/smallpox/fact_sheet
•Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). Emergency
Preparedness and Response. [Accessed 11 March 2013]. Retrieved
from: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/basics/outbreak.asp