The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, learn more

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

Smallpox usually requires fairly prolonged face-to-face contact to spread. It's most often transmitted through the air by droplets that escape when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. In rare instances, airborne virus may spread farther, possibly through the ventilation system in a building, infecting people in other rooms or on other floors. Smallpox can also spread through contact with contaminated clothing and bedding, although the risk of infection from these sources is slight.

Complications 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

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger