About SmallpoxSmallpox, once a serious disease, now eliminated, was caused by the Variola virus and could turn fatal very easily. It was feared for many centuries and reached to everywhere in the world. Small outbreaks occurred in short periods for many thousands of years, but are now declared successfully globally extinct. (the last naturally occurring case was in 1977). Smallpox spreads through respiratory discharges, as well as contact. The Variola virus had two clinical forms: Variola major and Variola minor. Variola major was responsible for many of the deaths associated with the name smallpox, and had between a 10% to 30% fatality rate. Variola minor, on the other hand, and less severe symptoms and a fatality rate of less than 2%. According to Stanford.edu, The onset of smallpox was acute, with fever, malaise, headaches, and backaches. The initial toxemia phase lasted 4-5 days. On about the third or fourth day, the characteristic rash appeared. First, it appeared on the buccal and pharyngeal mucosa, the face, and the forearms. Within a day, it spread to the trunk and lower limbs. The lesions of the rash began first as macules, which soon became papules, and then developed into pustular vesicles. The lesions usually protruded from the skin and they were firm to touch.
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Background of the smallpox virus under a microscope, courtesy of wyff4.com