Anne Arundel County Department of Health
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What is Smallpox?
Smallpox is a disease caused by the variola virus. In the United States, routine vaccination against smallpox ended in 1972. Although smallpox was eradicated in 1977, the illness may reappear due to an intentional bioterrorist act.
Anyone exposed to the smallpox virus may get smallpox. Even people who have been vaccinated for smallpox might become ill, because the duration of protection given by the smallpox vaccine is not fully understood.
The smallpox virus can be easily spread from one person to another after coming into close (within 6 feet) contact with a person who has smallpox. The virus is often contained in the droplets that can be coughed or sneezed from a person with smallpox.
Symptoms of smallpox include sudden onset of:
Fever (temperature 101 degrees F or greater), vomiting and occasional abdominal pain, headache and severe backache.
Two to four days after initial symptoms:
Rash on face, arms and legs.
Several days later:
Rash moves to the midsection of the body.
Contact your doctor immediately if you develop these symptoms and if you think that you have been exposed to smallpox.
There is no specific medical treatment for smallpox infection
There is no known treatment for smallpox. The smallpox vaccine is helpful if given within four days of exposure to someone with smallpox.
Routine smallpox vaccination is not recommended for the general public
If an outbreak of smallpox occurs, doses of the smallpox vaccine will be requested from the national drug stockpile, which is maintained by the Centers for Disease Control. Plans are currently in progress to increase the current stockpile of this vaccine.
Additional information may be obtained from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov
Posted 6/18/04
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