Disease: Variola Virus
Common Name: Smallpox
Age of Onset: There is no exact age of onset of Smallpox. Any age group that comes in direct contact with the disease may be affected by it.
Duration: After direct contact with the Small virus, there is a 7 to 17 day incubation period in which the carrier shows no signs or symptoms of the disease. After this incubation period, the life of the disease begins. With proper treatment, the duration of the disease is 6 days.
Common in Males/Females? The Smallpox virus does not differentiate between males, females, or any ethnic group. The virus affects all equally, regardless of gender or ethnic background. However, pregnant women and small children are more succeptible to this disease.
Cause: Smallpox is caused by the Variola virus. Through massive immunization efforts, the Variola virus has almost been completely eliminated. Smallpox is caused by the inhalation of the virus particles into the lungs. It is one of the only viruses that does not need to penetrate the nucleus of the cell in order to replicate itself. The virus begins in the lungs, but quickly enters the blood stream and them spreads to the entire Integumentary system, causing massive damage.
Symptoms: People who have come in contact with the virus, often show signs of fever, body aches, headaches, chills, and bachaches. A rash appears about 48 hours after the initial symptoms occur. Once the rash appears, the virus is extremely contageous. The rash will spread and puss filled lesions begin to appear all over the body. After 6 days the lesions begin to scab over.
Prognosis: After the incubation period, the initial symptoms include body aches and a high fever, usually ranging from 101 to 104 degrees Farenheit. The fever usually last 2-4 days, after which firm, puss filled lesions appear all-over the body. Around day 6, the lesions begin to scab over. The virus is contageous from the first sign of any rashes or lesions until the last scab falls off of the body. Due in part to invances in modern medicine, the mortality rate of smallpox is only 30%.
Treatment: Once one has become infected with the virus, there is no specific treatment that can performed to shorten the life-span of the disease. The only real way of treating this disease is by not getting it at all through a successful vaccine. The vaccine has successfully eliminated the smallpox viruses throughout the world. The last reported natural case of Smallpox was over 30 years ago in 1977.
