Smallpox

1
Smallpox

• By Vanessa Smalls

2
Population Most Affected By the Disease

• Adults, Children, Teens and just about anybody.

3
Systems of the Body Most Affected

• The whole body is affected by the virus.

4
Signs and Symptoms

• The first 7 to 17 days after exposure the person
  feels fine and is not contagious.
• First signs would be fever, tiredness, head and
  body aches, and sometimes vomiting.
• Second a rash appears as small red spots on the
  tongue and in the mouth. Then appears on the skin
  and spreads all over the body.
• Third the rash becomes raised bumps and the bumps
  become pustules, which are raised, usually
  round and firm to the touch under the skin as a
  round object.
• Fourth the pustules begin to form a crust and
  then scab.
• Fifth the scabs begin to fall of and the person
  is no longer contagious.

5
Causes/Prevention

• Smallpox is caused by the variola virus.
• The only prevention for it is vaccination.

6
Method of Transmission

• Generally, direct and fairly prolonged face to
  face contact is required to spread smallpox from
  one person to another. Also by bodily fluids or
  contaminated objects.

7
Treatment

• No specific treatment for smallpox.
• But smallpox may be helped by intravenous fluids,
  medicine to control fever or pain, and
  antibiotics for any secondary bacteria infections
  that may occur.

8
Prognosis

• Those who are unvaccinated, 30 may die.
• Survivors of the disease may experience severe
  complications including deeply scarred skin,
  blindness, arthritis, osteomyelitis (bone
  infection) and fetal infections during pregnancy
  resulting in additional severe complications or
  death of the fetus.

9
Resources

• www.cdc.gov
• www.emedicinehealth.com