And in the World Health Organization WHO declared that the spread of smallpox was stopped and that the disease had been wiped out. Because there is a slight risk of serious reactions and even death from the smallpox vaccine, routine smallpox immunization ended in the United States in But it may also be in other labs.
Some people worry that terrorists could release the virus and spread smallpox to many people. The first symptoms of smallpox include a high fever, fatigue, a headache, and a backache. After 2 to 3 days of illness, a flat, red rash appears. It usually starts on the face and upper arms, and then it spreads all over your body. Over the next 2 to 3 weeks, the flat, red spots become firm and dome-shaped and fill with pus.
Then they scab over. Scabs fall off 3 to 4 weeks after the rash first appears, and they leave pitted scars. The incubation period for smallpox is about 12 days. But symptoms can develop as soon as 7 days or as long as 19 days after exposure.
You may mistake a severe chickenpox rash for a smallpox rash at first. But different viruses cause these illnesses and there are many differences between chickenpox and smallpox rashes. Smallpox is contagious. It can be passed from one person to another through coughing, sneezing, or breathing, or by contact with the scabs or the fluid from blisters. It can even spread from an infected person's personal items and bedding.
Smallpox is easiest to spread during the first week of the rash. As scabs form, the person is less contagious. But a person can spread the virus from the time the rash first appears until all scabs have fallen off. If a terrorist were to release a small amount of the virus into the air, it is possible that it could spread among a large number of people.
The virus may be able to survive and infect people for up to a day. People who get this disease must stay away from others to help prevent it from spreading. If there has been a smallpox outbreak and you think you might have been exposed, call your doctor or local health department.
Do not go directly to a health facility, because you could pass the disease to other people. If a doctor suspected a case of smallpox, blood and skin tests would be needed to confirm the diagnosis. A confirmed case of smallpox would be considered a worldwide health emergency.
In the U. They would keep anyone who might have been exposed away from others. If a smallpox outbreak had been confirmed, a doctor in the outbreak area could diagnose smallpox without a lab test.
The doctor would look at the rash and ask about symptoms and possible exposure to the disease. There is no known cure for smallpox. Treatment includes drinking plenty of fluids and taking medicines to control pain and fever. Children and anyone under the age of 18 should never take aspirin for an illness. If your doctor feels that you or your child are likely to develop a more serious case, they may recommend an antiviral medication such as acyclovir Zovirax.
Doctors also recommend the chickenpox vaccine. According to Vaccines. People who are vaccinated but still get the disease usually experience a much milder version.
If you think that you or your child has contracted the virus, visit your doctor. They can usually determine the presence of chickenpox by inspecting the rash and checking for other symptoms. In the rare case that the diagnosis is unclear, other tests can be done if needed. Also known as varicella, chickenpox is a virus that often affects children. It is characterized by itchy red blisters that appear all over the body.
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These include how many times the subjects were vaccinated revaccination produces longer-lasting immunity , whether the vaccinations were carried out successfully and whether or not subjects ever had a subclinical smallpox infection that would boost their immunity this situation is particularly likely in endemic areas. The last natural smallpox infection occurred in , so recent advances in immunology and medical testing cannot be brought to bear on this question. Before smallpox was eradicated, the World Health Organization WHO recommended that international travelers to nonendemic countries should be revaccinated every five to 10 years and travelers to endemic countries should be revaccinated every three years.
Lab workers in diagnostic facilities and others more likely to be exposed to the smallpox virus were advised to be vaccinated once a year. The basis for the WHO guidelines was that a history of vaccination within five years was known to offer good protection, whereas the data for vaccination beyond 10 years was difficult to interpret. A conservative estimate of the duration of smallpox immunity was therefore justified.
Vaccination 40 years ago, even if not currently protective against smallpox disease, may offer some protection against a fatal outcome. A study of smallpox cases imported into nonendemic countries found that mortality was 52 percent among the unvaccinated, 11 percent among those vaccinated more than 20 years earlier and 1. Therefore, vaccination 40 years ago most likely does not confer protection against smallpox infection, but it may help to prevent a fatal outcome.
Should you be exposed to smallpox in the future, you should definitely be revaccinated because vaccination after exposure to an infected smallpox patient, even four days later, can prevent smallpox disease. People that are revaccinated are, in general, much less likely to suffer from vaccine side effects than those vaccinated for the first time, although changing life circumstances such as pregnancy, an impaired immune system or the need to take immunosuppressive drugs can increase the risks.
Most of the data about revaccination comes from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study in , which found that of the 8. Six individuals of which two died developed progressive vaccinia, a condition that only occurs when there is an immune deficiency.
Eight people developed and recovered from eczema vaccinatum, a condition in which vaccinia pustules develop on sites of the body not necessarily the vaccination site that either were affected, or had a history of being affected, by eczema.
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