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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Smallpox is a contagious, disfiguring and often deadly disease that has affected humans for thousands of years. Naturally occurring smallpox was eradicated worldwide by 1980 — the result of an unprecedented global immunization campaign.

Stockpiles of smallpox virus have been kept for research purposes. This has led to concerns that smallpox could someday be used as a biological warfare agent.

There's no treatment or cure for smallpox. A vaccine can prevent smallpox, but the risk of the vaccine's side effects is too high to currently justify routine vaccination for people at low risk of exposure to the smallpox virus.

Symptoms
References
  1. Smallpox disease overview. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/disease-facts.asp. Accessed June 6, 2011.
  2. Smallpox. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/smallpox/en. Accessed June 6, 2011.
  3. Friedman HM, et al. Smallpox. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 6, 2011.
  4. Rotz LD, et al. Smallpox as an agent of bioterrorism. In: Mandell JE, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..X0001-X--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed June 6, 2011.
  5. Damon IK. Smallpox, monkeypox and other poxvirus infections. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed June 7, 2011.
  6. Executive summary: Smallpox response plan and guidelines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/response-plan/files/exec-sections-i-vi.pdf. Accessed June 6, 2011.
  7. Isaacs SN, et al. Vaccinia virus as the smallpox vaccine. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 7, 2011.
DS00424 Aug. 10, 2011

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