shesgoodpeople,
Since 9/11 and the scares immediately following, long thought to be
conquered diseases like smallpox (spelled as one word, with no spaces)
have once again come to the forefront. Google has a variety of sites
dedicated to smallpox listed in the Google Directory.
To sum it up in a paragraph, smallpox is highly contagious viral
disease that is mainly transmitted by face-to-face contact with an
infected person, or by contact with the sores of an infected person.
It is believed to have originated in China and India nearly 3,000
years ago, but came to the forefront in Europe during the 17th and
18th centuries. The illness begins with symptoms of fever, headache,
backache, vomiting, and possibly delirium. Within two to three days
the rash that defines smallpox sets in, evolving from small pink spots
to hard pocks over days. Complications from smallpox can lead to heavy
bleeding, blindness, secondary diseases, and death. Depending on the
strain of smallpox, mortality rate can be up to 30% in naturally
occurring smallpox. Edward Jenner developed the smallpox virus in the
late 18th century, and thanks to a concentrated worldwide innoculation
method, it was the first virus ever to be considered erradicated in
1980, and smallpox vaccinations ended in 1972. However, engineered
smallpox virus is considered to be a great terrorism threat, greater
than other more deadly viruses such as Anthrax and Bubonic Plague due
to its highly contagious nature, to the point where the United States
is taking measures to innoculate its entire population if necessary.
This is only the tip of the iceberg with regards to the vast amount of
information available on smallpox. For more information, please visit
the following sites:
Google Directory Smallpox listings:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Conditions_and_Diseases/Infectious_Diseases/Viral/Smallpox/?il=1
U.S. Finalizes Smallpox Policy:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-2079920,00.html
Vast website dedicated to smallpox:
http://seercom.com/bluto/smallpox/
Google search terms used:
smallpox |
