Smallpox (patient information)

Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and sometimes fatal infectious disease characterized by a raised pink rash, that was declared eradicated in 1980 by the World Health Organization.

• Raised pink rash – turns into sores that become crusty on day 14
• Delirium
• Diarrhea
• Excessive bleeding
• Fatigue
• Severe Headaches
• High Fever (102-104 Fahrenheit)
• Malaise
• Pain
• Vomiting

Smallpox is caused by the variola virus that emerged in human populations thousands of years ago. Except for laboratory stockpiles, the variola virus has been eliminated.

Today that the disease has been eradicated, people who work in laboratories with the virus or people who live in an area victim of bioterrorism are at higher risk of being infected. Before the eradication, people at higher risk were the ones who had physical contact with infected patients, with contaminated surfaces or with infected aerosolized particles.

If you think you may have been exposed to smallpox, contact your health care provider immediately. Because smallpox has been wiped out this would be very unlikely, unless you have worked with the virus in a laboratory or there has been an act of bioterrorism.

If the patient has a fever, malaise, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. The fever is usually high, in the range of 101 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Around 4 days after exposure a rash will emerge, first as small red dots on the mouth and tongue.

There is no proven treatment for smallpox. Scientists are currently researching for new treatments. Patients with smallpox may be helped by intravenous fluids, medicine to control fever or pain, and antibiotics for any secondary bacterial infections that may occur.

• Influenza
• Chickenpox

Directions to Hospitals Treating Smallpox

• 30% exposed may become infected
• 30% of those infected may die
• Arthritis and bone infections
• Brain swelling (encephalitis)
• Death
• Eye infections
• Pneumonia
• Scarring
• Severe bleeding
• Skin infections (from the sores)

One of the best ways to prevent smallpox is through vaccination. If given to a person before exposure to smallpox, the vaccine can completely protect them. Vaccination within 3 days after exposure will prevent or greatly lessen the severity of smallpox in most people. Vaccination 4 to 7 days after exposure likely offers some protection from disease or may decrease the severity of disease. Vaccination will not protect smallpox patients who already have a rash. Currently, the smallpox vaccine is not widely available to the general public. However, there is enough smallpox vaccine to vaccinate every person in the United States in the event of a smallpox emergency.

MedlinePlus Center for Disease Control

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