Smallpox: Everything You Need To Know

Introduction

Smallpox was once one of the most feared diseases worldwide. It caused serious illness, including symptoms like high fever, extreme tiredness, and a painful rash that could leave deep scars. The disease spread quickly from person to person, causing massive outbreaks that affected millions of people around the world. Learning about the history of smallpox, how it spread, and how it was eventually wiped out helps us understand the importance of vaccines and public health efforts. This essay will look at the story of smallpox, from where it started and its impact on people, to the amazing success of its worldwide eradication.

History

Ancient History

Where Did Smallpox Start? We don’t know exactly when smallpox first appeared, but it has been around for over 3,000 years. Evidence of smallpox has been found on the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses V of ancient Egypt, which shows that people were already suffering from this disease over 3,000 years ago.

Spread Across Continents: As people traveled and traded with each other, smallpox spread from Egypt to other parts of the world, like India, China, and Africa. Ancient writings from these areas describe diseases that sound a lot like smallpox, showing how far the disease spread.

Middle Ages and Beyond

Europe in the Middle Ages: During the Middle Ages, smallpox was very common in Europe. It was a feared disease because it was highly contagious, meaning it spread easily from person to person, and many who got it died. Those who survived were often left with scars on their skin.

15th to 18th Century

Arrival in the Americas: When Europeans began exploring and colonizing the Americas in the late 1400s and early 1500s, they brought smallpox with them. The native people in the Americas had never been exposed to smallpox before, so they had no immunity against it. This led to huge outbreaks where many people got sick and died.

Impact in Asia and Africa: Smallpox also continued to spread across Asia and Africa, causing many deaths and affecting communities. The disease was very difficult to control because of how easily it spread.

The 18th Century

Early Vaccination Efforts: Before modern vaccines, people used a method called variolation to protect against smallpox. This involved giving a healthy person a small amount of the virus, hoping it would cause a mild infection and make them immune. Although this method was risky and could sometimes cause severe illness or even death, it was still better than catching smallpox naturally.

Major Epidemics in Europe: During the 1700s, smallpox was one of the leading causes of death in Europe. Many people, including kings and queens, died from the disease. Queen Mary II ruled England jointly with her husband, King William III, from 1689 until she died in 1694. She died of smallpox at the age of 32. Joseph I was the Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, and King of Hungary from 1705 until his death. He died of smallpox in 1711 at the age of 32. These monarchs’ deaths from smallpox highlight the disease’s devastating impact, even on royal and privileged individuals, before the development of effective vaccines.

The 19th Century

The First Vaccine: In 1796, an English doctor named Edward Jenner made a groundbreaking discovery. He noticed that milkmaids who had caught a mild disease called cowpox didn’t get smallpox. Jenner used cowpox to create the first vaccine against smallpox, which helped protect people from the disease. This was the beginning of modern vaccination.

Vaccination Becomes Common: After Jenner’s discovery, more and more people in Europe and North America started getting vaccinated against smallpox. This helped reduce the number of people getting sick from the disease.

The 20th Century

Continued Outbreaks: Even with the availability of a vaccine, smallpox still caused outbreaks in many parts of the world, especially in places where not everyone could get vaccinated.

A Global Effort to Eradicate Smallpox: In 1959, the World Health Organization (WHO) started a global campaign to eradicate smallpox, meaning they aimed to eliminate the disease. The effort was difficult and faced many challenges, like political issues and lack of resources.

Stepping Up the Fight in 1967: In 1967, the WHO launched a stronger and more organized campaign to eradicate smallpox. They used better vaccines and strategies like surveillance (watching for new cases) and containment (isolating infected people). This intense effort paid off.

Eradication of Smallpox: The last natural case of smallpox was reported in Somalia in 1977. After confirming there were no more cases anywhere in the world, the WHO declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. This was a huge victory for global health.

After Smallpox Eradication

Stopping Routine Vaccinations: After smallpox was eradicated, most countries stopped giving the vaccine because the disease no longer existed. However, some vaccine stocks are kept in case of emergencies, like if the virus were used in a bioterrorist attack.

A Major Success: The eradication of smallpox is considered one of the greatest achievements in public health. It showed that with teamwork, good planning, and effective vaccination, the world can defeat even the most deadly diseases.

Virological Classification

• Family: Poxviridae
  The Poxviridae family comprises viruses known as poxviruses. These are large, double-stranded DNA viruses that can infect a variety of animals, including humans.
• Subfamily: Chordopoxvirinae
  The Chordopoxvirinae subfamily includes viruses that primarily infect vertebrates. Variola virus, the cause of smallpox, belongs to this subfamily.
• Genus: Orthopoxvirus
  The Orthopoxvirus genus includes several viruses that can infect humans and other animals, such as the variola virus (smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), monkeypox virus, and cowpox virus.
• Species: Variola virus
  The variola virus is the specific species that causes smallpox. It has two main strains or types that determine the severity of the disease:
  • Variola major: The more severe form of the virus, associated with higher mortality rates.
  • Variola minor: A less severe form of the virus, with lower mortality rates.

Signs and Symptoms of Smallpox

Smallpox was a very contagious and deadly disease caused by the variola virus. It had a specific set of signs and symptoms that appeared in stages. Here’s a detailed overview of the signs and symptoms of smallpox:

1. Incubation Period (7-17 days)

• No Symptoms: After a person catches the virus, there are no immediate signs or symptoms. This period is called the incubation period, and it usually lasts about 10-14 days, but it can range from 7 to 17 days.
• Not Contagious: During this time, the person doesn’t show any symptoms and isn’t contagious, even though the virus is multiplying inside their body.

2. Initial Symptoms (Prodrome Phase, 2-4 days)

After the incubation period, the person starts to feel the first symptoms, which can last for 2 to 4 days. These symptoms are similar to the flu and include:

• High Fever: A sudden high fever, often between 101°F and 104°F (38.3°C to 40°C).
• Severe Headache: A very intense headache is common during this stage.
• Back Pain: Many people experience severe pain in their lower back.
• Malaise: This is a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness.
• Fatigue and Exhaustion: People often feel extremely tired and may find it hard to do even simple activities.
• Vomiting: Some people may feel nauseous and vomit, though this doesn’t happen to everyone.
• Abdominal Pain: Some people might have pain in their stomach area.
• Muscle Aches: Many people feel muscle pain throughout their bodies, especially in their back and limbs.

3. Early Rash (2-4 days)

The early rash stage is when the classic smallpox rash starts to appear, usually lasting for 2 to 4 days:

• Rash Development: The rash first appears as small red spots on the tongue and in the mouth. These spots turn into sores that break open, releasing the virus into the mouth and throat. This is when the person becomes very contagious.
• Facial Rash: The rash then spreads to the face and quickly moves to the arms, legs, hands, and feet, usually within 24 hours. The rash covers the whole body, and the fever often goes down at this point.
• Macules to Papules: The rash starts as flat, red spots called macules. These spots then turn into raised bumps called papules.

4. Pustular Rash (5-10 days)

This phase involves the development of pustules, which are firm, round bumps filled with fluid and eventually pus. This stage lasts about 5 to 10 days.

• Vesicle Formation: The papules fill with thick, opaque fluid and become pustules, which are round, firm, and sharply raised. The pustules have a dent in the center, a key feature of smallpox.
• Hard and Painful Pustules: These pustules feel hard, like a small round object under the skin, and are deeply set in the skin, making them very painful.
• Fever Returns: As the pustules develop, the fever might come back, and the person can feel very ill.

5. Pustules and Scabs (5 days)

During this phase, the pustules start to form a crust and eventually scab over. This stage typically lasts around 5 days.

• Scabbing: The pustules form a crust on the surface, and scabs begin to develop. This process takes about 5 days.
• Itching: As the pustules dry up and scab over, they become extremely itchy, which adds to the discomfort.

6. Resolving Scabs (5-10 days)

The scabs gradually fall off, leaving scars on the skin. This stage can last about 5 to 10 days.

• Scabs Fall Off: The scabs begin to fall off, starting from the face and moving to the hands and feet. This process can take about 5 days, but some scabs might take up to 10 days to fall off completely.
• Pitted Scars: After the scabs fall off, they leave behind deep scars, called pockmarks, which are often seen on the face and other exposed parts of the body.

7. Full Recovery (Several weeks)

Full recovery from smallpox can take several weeks or even months, depending on how severe the infection is and the person’s overall health.

• Permanent Scarring: Many people who survived smallpox were left with permanent scars, known as pockmarks, especially on their faces.
• Blindness: Some people could suffer from blindness if the virus affected their eyes and caused scarring on the cornea.
• Joint Deformities: In some cases, smallpox could cause arthritis or joint deformities due to severe inflammation during the pustular phase.

Summary of Symptoms and Contagiousness

• Most Contagious Period: The person with smallpox is most contagious from the time the rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off. The virus spreads through tiny droplets in the air when the person coughs or sneezes and through contact with contaminated objects, like bedding or clothing.
• End of Contagiousness: Once all the scabs have fallen off, the person is no longer contagious.

Clinical Classification of Smallpox

Smallpox was a serious disease caused by the variola virus. It could be divided into different types based on how severe the symptoms were and how the disease affected the body. Here’s a look at the different forms of smallpox:

1. Variola Major

This was the more severe form of smallpox and had several different types, each with unique symptoms:

• Ordinary Smallpox: This was the most common type, making up about 90% of all smallpox cases. People with ordinary smallpox had a high fever and a widespread rash that turned into bumps filled with thick fluid. These bumps, called pustules, covered the entire body. The death rate for ordinary smallpox was about 30%, which means 3 out of every 10 people who got it did not survive.
• Modified Smallpox: This form occurred in people who had been vaccinated against smallpox but still got infected. The symptoms were similar to ordinary smallpox but much milder. The rash wasn’t as widespread, and the bumps were not as noticeable. The death rate for modified smallpox was very low, making it less dangerous.
• Flat Smallpox (Malignant): This was a rare and very severe type of smallpox. Instead of forming raised bumps, the rash stayed flat and did not fill with fluid. The skin lesions looked soft and felt velvety. People with flat smallpox often experience severe sickness and toxins spreading through their body. The death rate for flat smallpox was very high, up to 95% for those who hadn’t been vaccinated.
• Hemorrhagic Smallpox: This was another rare and extremely severe form of smallpox. In this type, there was a lot of bleeding under the skin, in the eyes, and inside the body. The rash turned dark because of the bleeding. This form of smallpox was almost always fatal, meaning most people who got it did not survive.

2. Variola Minor

• Variola Minor: This was a much milder form of smallpox. The symptoms were similar to variola major, but they were not as severe. People with variola minor still had a rash and fever, but the bumps were less severe, and the illness wasn’t as intense. The death rate for variola minor was much lower, around 1%, meaning that 1 out of every 100 people who got it died.

Smallpox could vary a lot in how it affects people, from mild to extremely severe. The type of smallpox a person got depended on several factors, like their health and whether they had been vaccinated. Understanding these different forms helps us see why smallpox was such a feared disease in the past. Thankfully, because of vaccination efforts, smallpox was completely eradicated in 1980, which means it no longer exists in nature today.

Transmission

Smallpox was a very contagious disease caused by the variola virus. It spreads easily from one person to another. Here’s how smallpox spread and why it was so dangerous:

1. Ways Smallpox Spread

Smallpox could spread in a few different ways:

• Direct Contact with Infected People: The most common way smallpox spread was through direct contact with someone who had the disease. This could happen when a healthy person touches the sores or scabs of someone with smallpox. Since the virus was in the sores, it could easily pass from one person to another through touch.
• Through the Air (Respiratory Droplets): Smallpox could also spread through the air. When a person with smallpox coughed, sneezed, or even talked, tiny droplets containing the virus could be released into the air. If a healthy person breathed in these droplets, they could catch the virus. This was a big problem in places where people were close together, like in homes, schools, or crowded areas.
• Touching Contaminated Objects (Fomites): Another way smallpox could spread was by touching objects that an infected person had used. For example, if a person with smallpox touched their clothes, blankets, or other items, the virus could stay on those surfaces. If someone else touched these items and then touched their face or mouth, they could become infected. This made it harder to control the spread because even things like bedding or clothing could carry the virus.

2. Factors That Affected How Smallpox Spread

Several factors affected how easily smallpox could spread:

• Stage of the Disease: Smallpox spreads most easily when the infected person has a rash and sores in their mouth and throat. The virus was most present in these sores, making it easy to spread when the person coughed or talked. People were most contagious from when the sores first appeared in the mouth until all the scabs had fallen off.
• Immunity and Vaccination: People who had already been infected with smallpox and survived were usually immune, which means they couldn’t get the disease again. Also, people who got vaccinated were much less likely to get sick or spread the virus to others. This immunity helped a lot in controlling and eventually stopping the spread of smallpox.
• Environmental Conditions: The virus could survive outside the human body for some time, depending on the environment. In cool and dry conditions, the virus could stay alive on surfaces longer, which increased the chances of it spreading through objects. In warmer and more humid conditions, the virus didn’t survive as long, which slightly reduced the risk of spreading.

3. How Smallpox Spread in Different Places

Smallpox could spread in many different settings, which made it very hard to control:

• In Homes: Smallpox spread easily within homes because people were in close contact with each other. If one person in a family got smallpox, others were likely to get it too, unless they had been vaccinated or had immunity.
• In Hospitals and Clinics: Smallpox was a big risk in places where sick people were treated, like hospitals and clinics. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers could get infected while caring for patients with smallpox. Special precautions, like wearing protective clothing and isolating patients, were important to prevent the spread in these settings.
• In Public Places: Smallpox could spread quickly in public places where many people gathered, such as markets, schools, and places of worship. Because people moved around and interacted with many others, the virus could easily pass from person to person, leading to outbreaks, especially in areas where not many people were vaccinated.

4. Stopping the Spread of Smallpox

To stop smallpox from spreading, several measures were used:

• Isolation of Infected People: People who had smallpox were often kept away from others to prevent the virus from spreading. This meant keeping them in separate rooms or buildings, away from healthy people.
• Vaccination: Getting vaccinated was the best way to prevent smallpox. Vaccination campaigns helped protect people and stopped the virus from spreading in communities.
• Quarantine of Exposed People: People who had been in contact with someone with smallpox were sometimes quarantined, which means they were kept apart from others for a period to see if they developed symptoms. This helped stop them from spreading the virus if they became sick.
• Cleaning and Disinfecting: Objects that had been in contact with smallpox patients were cleaned or destroyed to stop the virus from spreading. For example, bedding and clothing could be disinfected or burned to kill the virus.

Impact on Human Populations

Mortality

Smallpox had a huge impact on people throughout history, causing a lot of suffering and death. Before the vaccine was made, it was one of the deadliest diseases, with a high mortality rate. It killed about 30% of the people who got it. It’s estimated that more than 300 million people died from smallpox since 1900. The disease caused massive loss of life and devastation. In some cases, entire communities were wiped out, especially among groups that had never been exposed to the virus before, like many indigenous peoples in the Americas and Australia.

Socio-Economic Impact

Smallpox didn’t just cause a lot of sickness and death; it also had big effects on society and the economy. During outbreaks, people were very scared and avoided anyone who might be infected. This fear disrupted daily life and made it hard for people to continue their usual activities. Economies suffered as many workers got sick or died. Trade routes were often blocked, and hospitals were overwhelmed with patients. It also left a mark on cultures worldwide, with its scars and stories becoming part of history that people remember.

Shaping History

Smallpox played a big role in shaping history. The disease weakened armies and changed the outcomes of battles. It even helped bring down some empires. For example, when Europeans were colonizing the Americas, smallpox killed many Native Americans who had no immunity to the disease. This made it easier for European settlers to take over large areas of land. The loss of so many lives and the destruction of cultures had long-lasting effects on the people and societies of the Americas.

The impact of smallpox on human populations shows how dangerous infectious diseases can be. It also highlights the importance of public health efforts and medical advancements to protect communities from similar threats in the future.

Development of the Smallpox Vaccine

The development of the smallpox vaccine is one of the greatest achievements in medical history. It all began in the late 1700s with an English doctor named Edward Jenner. Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had caught cowpox, a much milder disease, didn’t seem to get smallpox. This observation led him to believe that if someone got cowpox, it might protect them from getting smallpox.

In 1796, Edward Jenner tested his idea by using material from a cowpox sore on a milkmaid’s hand. He inoculated this material into the arm of an eight-year-old boy named James Phipps. Later, when Jenner exposed the boy to smallpox, the boy did not get sick. This showed that having cowpox could protect someone from getting smallpox. Jenner called this process “vaccination,” a word that comes from the Latin word “vacca,” meaning cow.

Edward Jenner’s discovery of the smallpox vaccine was the start of immunology, the study of how vaccines protect us from diseases. His work proved that it was possible to prevent a deadly disease through vaccination. This idea became the basis for modern vaccination practices. Over time, the way vaccines were made improved, making the smallpox vaccine safer and more effective.

Health officials used the smallpox vaccine widely in the 19th and 20th centuries, which caused a significant drop in smallpox cases. In 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) started a global vaccination campaign to eliminate smallpox. They carried out mass vaccinations and closely monitored cases. Because of these efforts, smallpox was officially declared eradicated in 1980. This was a major achievement because it was the first disease humans had successfully eliminated. The success of the smallpox vaccine saved many lives and helped pave the way for the eradication of other infectious diseases.

Eradication of Smallpox

Biggest Achievement

Eradicating smallpox is one of the greatest achievements in public health. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global campaign to eliminate the disease in 1967 when smallpox was still spreading in many parts of the world and causing a lot of sickness and death. The campaign succeeded due to the effectiveness of the smallpox vaccine and because countries around the world worked together to fight the disease.

Ring Vaccination

Mass vaccination and surveillance were the key strategies for eradicating smallpox. Health workers around the world were trained to identify smallpox cases and vaccinate anyone who had been in contact with an infected person. This method, called “ring vaccination,” helped contain outbreaks and prevent the virus from spreading further. The WHO also created a strong system for tracking smallpox cases to make sure no cases were missed and to target vaccination efforts effectively.

Reaching Remote and Underserved Areas

One of the biggest challenges in eradicating smallpox was reaching remote and underserved areas where the disease was still a significant threat. Health workers had to travel to some of the most difficult-to-reach places in the world, often working in tough conditions to ensure everyone was vaccinated. The campaign also faced resistance in some communities where people didn’t trust the vaccine or had cultural reasons for not wanting it. However, through hard work and good communication, these challenges were overcome, leading to the successful eradication of smallpox.

Last Case And The Declaration of Eradication

By the late 1970s, the number of smallpox cases had dropped to just a few. The last known case occurred in Somalia in 1977. After two more years of careful monitoring with no new cases, smallpox was officially declared eradicated in 1980. This marked the first time in history that a disease had been completely wiped out. The eradication of smallpox had a significant impact on public health worldwide. It demonstrated the power of vaccines and showed the importance of countries working together to fight diseases.

Legacy

Vaccination as a Key Way To Prevent Disease

The legacy of smallpox has had a big impact on modern medicine and public health. One of the most important effects was making vaccination a main way to prevent diseases. The success of the smallpox vaccine helped lead to the creation of other vaccines. These vaccines have protected millions of people from diseases like polio, measles, and the flu. When Edward Jenner introduced the idea of vaccination in the late 1700s, it changed medical science forever. Vaccination has become one of the best tools we have to keep people healthy.

Spirit of Teamwork to Fight Deadly Disease

Getting rid of smallpox showed how powerful it can be when the world works together to fight diseases. The World Health Organization’s successful campaign proved that with everyone’s help, even the toughest health problems can be solved. This spirit of teamwork is still important today and guides how we handle other major diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19. The success of wiping out smallpox is a great example of what can happen when countries unite for a common goal.

Changed how the public health system works

The eradication of smallpox greatly changed public health systems. The methods used to fight smallpox, like tracking cases, quickly responding to outbreaks, and mass vaccination campaigns, have also been used to handle other health problems. These strategies are still important for controlling the spread of diseases and responding effectively to outbreaks.

Symbol of hope

Getting rid of smallpox wasn’t just important for medicine and public health; it also became a symbol of hope and strength. It showed that people worldwide could come together to defeat a deadly disease that had been around for hundreds of years. This big success has inspired efforts to get rid of other diseases too. It also reminded everyone of the importance of investing in public health, research, and education.

Overall, the story of smallpox is about more than just getting rid of one disease. It has made a big impact on medicine and public health. Smallpox taught us how powerful vaccines can be, why countries need to work together, and the need for strong public health systems. Even today, the lessons we learned from fighting smallpox help us figure out the best ways to prevent and control diseases. This helps keep people healthy now and in the future.

Poxvirus Disease After Global Eradication of Smallpox

After the global eradication of smallpox, two potential sources of poxvirus infection in humans remain – laboratory-associated accidental infection and infection with animal poxviruses.

Accidental Infection

The accidental infection that happened in Birmingham, UK, in 1978 shows how dangerous it can be to handle infectious viruses. In 1976, there were 76 laboratories worldwide that kept samples of the smallpox virus. By 1980, this number was reduced to six, and by 1983, only two labs still kept smallpox samples: one in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, and the other in Moscow, Russia. The World Health Organization (WHO) regularly inspects these two labs to make sure they are safe and secure.

Birmingham Smallpox Outbreak

In 1978, there was a lab accident in Birmingham, UK, involving the smallpox virus. This happened at the University of Birmingham Medical School, where a medical photographer named Janet Parker caught smallpox. She worked in a lab on the floor above another lab that was researching the smallpox virus.

People think the infection was an accident, possibly because the virus got out due to a problem with safety measures or through the ventilation system, but no one knows exactly how it happened. Sadly, Janet Parker became very sick with smallpox and died on September 11, 1978. She was the last known person to die from smallpox in the world.

After this incident, there was a big investigation. It made scientists and health officials around the world think carefully about how to handle dangerous viruses safely. Because of this, many countries made their rules stricter for labs working with dangerous viruses, especially smallpox.

Why We Still Keep the Virus Samples

People often wonder why we still keep samples of the smallpox virus after it was eradicated. It might seem risky to keep something so dangerous, but there’s a good reason for it. There are other viruses similar to smallpox, like monkeypox, cowpox, camelpox, and tanapox, that can also make people sick. Scientists think there might be even more poxviruses out there that we haven’t discovered yet.

We don’t fully understand how all these viruses work or if any of them could ever replace the smallpox virus. That’s why scientists need to keep studying these animal poxviruses closely. By doing this, they can learn more about how these viruses behave and find the best ways to keep people safe.

Human Infections with Animal Poxviruses

Another concern is that some animal poxviruses can infect humans. In recent years, this has become a significant issue. Two of these viruses, monkeypox, and tanapox, have caught a lot of attention because they can potentially make people sick.

Human Monkeypox

Human monkeypox is not a new disease. It is very similar to smallpox but much rarer, which is why it wasn’t recognized until after smallpox was eliminated.

Since 1970, there have been over 400 reported cases of monkeypox in seven countries in Western and Central Africa, mostly in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Most people who get monkeypox are young children.

Monkeypox is a zoonosis, meaning it can jump from animals to humans. People usually catch monkeypox from close contact with infected wild animals, but it can also spread from person to person.

The monkeypox virus is different from the smallpox virus, but they are both part of the same group called orthopoxvirus. The natural hosts, or the animals that carry the virus, are still unknown. Humans aren’t the main hosts; we only catch the virus by accident. The virus has an incubation period of about 14 days before symptoms appear.

The symptoms of monkeypox are a lot like those of smallpox. People with monkeypox can develop a rash that can be serious and sometimes deadly, especially in children. However, a big difference between monkeypox and smallpox is that monkeypox often causes swollen lymph nodes, which isn’t common with smallpox.

Monkeypox doesn’t spread from person to person as easily as smallpox does. About 15% of people around someone with monkeypox might catch it, compared to 30-45% for smallpox. Smallpox vaccines can also protect against monkeypox, but since people stopped getting vaccinated after smallpox was eradicated, fewer people are protected now. This drop in immunity has led to more cases of monkeypox, like the increase seen in Zaire in the early 1980s.

Tanapox

Tanapox is a type of poxvirus, but it is different from the group that includes smallpox and monkeypox. When a person gets tanapox, it usually starts with a fever, followed by one or two painful bumps that can last for up to six weeks. We don’t know exactly where this virus comes from, but like monkeypox, it is a disease that can spread from animals to humans. It is mostly found in East and Central Africa, and it is thought that mosquitoes might spread it to people.

Smallpox vaccines don’t protect against tanapox, so people at risk are those who go into wildlife areas or have contact with pets or wild animals in cities. There is still a lot to learn about tanapox to understand how to prevent and treat it better.

Conclusion

The story of smallpox is a powerful reminder of how much impact diseases can have and what we can achieve when the world works together. Smallpox caused a lot of suffering throughout history, but in 1980, we were able to completely get rid of it. This showed us how important vaccines are and why working together and having strong health systems are so important. Beating such a deadly disease proves that with determination and teamwork, we can accomplish great things!

Even though smallpox has been wiped out, we still need to be careful with other poxviruses. An accidental infection in Birmingham, UK, in 1978 showed us how risky it can be to handle dangerous viruses in labs. Now, only two labs in the world keep samples of the smallpox virus for research, and the World Health Organization (WHO) monitors these labs to make sure they are safe.

Scientists continue to study smallpox and other similar viruses, like monkeypox and tanapox, to learn more about them. Even though these viruses aren’t as dangerous as smallpox, they can still make people sick. For example, tanapox can spread from animals to humans, possibly through mosquitoes, and the smallpox vaccine doesn’t protect against it. It’s important to learn more about these viruses so we can be prepared for any future threats and keep people safe worldwide.

The legacy of smallpox is more than just getting rid of one disease. It taught us important lessons about the need for research, preparation, and working with other countries to fight infectious diseases. By remembering what we learned from smallpox, we can continue making progress in public health and help protect future generations from similar threats.