Smallpox: A Lethal Infection Cause By The Variola Virus

Smallpox is a lethal infection cause by the variola virus in which pus filled bumps called pox, spread across the body of a person who has a disease. The virus is only susceptible to humans, insects and other animals could not transmit or sustain the virus within themselves. Coming into contact with a person carrying the disease, usually face to face interaction, was the only way to obtain it. Since there is still no known cure for smallpox, scientists use the last two remaining samples on earth to study and find a cure. These two samples are located and hidden in laboratories in the United States and Russia. The risk of the two remaining samples falling into the wrong hands is low but not impossible. The two samples, if used for something like bioterrorism, could wipe out millions of people in a world wide epidemic. When the virus was in a person's system, the body would show the starting symptoms; a rash that spread across the stomach, back, and chest, high fevers, chills, and muscle aches. These symptoms lasted for about three days and all signs of infection disappeared. before long, all symptoms would rapidly return with one large difference. Each individual bump on the newly returned rash would eventually fill with pus and become pox. The first week of being sick was the worst and most infections time period.
After around seven to seventeen days, the pus filled bumps would turn into scabs that fell off the body and left small craters in the skin of the survivors. Scientists that study the virus say that a person carrying the disease was still contagious and infected until the very last scab from the pox fell off the body. Modern medicine has made it easier to treat many diseases. Syringes and oral medications help treat infections swiftly and safely. But when the smallpox epidemic broke out, doctors then could not do much for the sick patients. On average, three out of ten patients with

smallpox died and the rest were severely scarred for the rest.
Many herbal remedies were used to attempt to cure the virus, along with other unhelpful treatments. Doctors and nurses called upon those who survived smallpox to assist in treatments of other patients because they were now immune to the disease. Thanks to modern medicines, there is a vaccine available to everyone to help protect against the disease. It is mainly given to those in areas with high exposure to smallpox. Keep in mind that the vaccine is not a complete cure for smallpox and may come with fatal side
effects. Many groups such as the ‘World Health Organization’ or WHO, are helping governments prepare for the possibility of another smallpox outbreak. Some governments believe that there is another sample of smallpox hidden in a place other than the two secures laboratories that house the virus. Although the probability of another smallpox outbreak is slim to none, there is always a small possibility. Bioterrorist could potentially obtain the virus and use it to take control of powerful countries that fear another outbreak.. If disease was to be released upon the Earth again then the world population would severely decrease by millions in a short period of time. The idea of using smallpox to wipe out communities or to take control of lands has been used before. European settlers that tried to take control of the Americas brought diseases and germs that killed a vast majority of indians. One of the captains during a battle gave the indians that surrounded the forts blankets and handkerchiefs that were infected with smallpox to buy time. Since these diseases like smallpox and other European based infections, hundreds of native Americans died.