Smallpox
Smallpox Causes
Smallpox is a very serious disorder that is caused by a virus called variola that infects humans.
Smallpox Definition
Smallpox is a very serious and infectious disease that is brought about by the variola virus. The name was derived from the pus-filled blisters that form and appear during the duration of the illness. Smallpox is contagious; it spreads through tiny drops of saliva when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks usually during close face-to-face contact.
Smallpox Diagnosis
The presence of firm, deep seated pustules in the same stage of development with no apparent cause along with high fever may indicate smallpox, which can be confirmed by means of laboratory tests including microscopic examination of smears from scrapings of lesion to detect the presence of virus in the patient's blood.
Smallpox Symptoms and Signs
Symptoms of Smallpox include some or all of the following: ? Flu-like symptoms including fever, shivering, and malaise, dry cough, chills, loss of appetite, headache and other body aches. ? Muscle pain ? Joint pain ? Inflammation involving different internal organs ? Pus-filled blisters on the skin
Smallpox Treatment
Treatment for smallpox requires hospitalization along with safety measures to prevent further complications through antimicrobial therapy, vigorous supportive management, and symptomatic treatment of lesions by means of antipruritics, which should start during the pustular stage. Smallpox vaccination given within 1 to 4 days of exposure to the disease will help avoid the disease and lessen the symptoms of the disease. Treatment is often inadequate when smallpox has already infected the body.