| Smallpox, a highly contagious disease, is | | | | that is in Siberia, Russia. After 1970 the |
| unique only to humans. The smallpox virus is | | | | vaccination was stopped in most places of the |
| caused by two virus variants called Variola | | | | world, as the risks of the vaccination |
| major and Variola minor. Variola major is the | | | | include death, among other side effects that |
| more deadly form of the virus; it usually has | | | | aren't meant to joke around with.After the |
| a mortality rte of 20-40 percent of those | | | | anthraz attacks on the United Sates in 2001, |
| that are infected with the virus. Variola | | | | there have been several concerns that |
| minor on the other hand is much less severe | | | | smallpox has/will resurface and possibly |
| and only kills 1% of its victims. Neither of | | | | become a virus for us in bioterrorism. These |
| the Variola's are bugs that you want to get. | | | | concerns have in turn raised more concerns |
| Avoid them at all costs!Due to ulcerations of | | | | about the availability of vaccine stocks. The |
| the cornea, many survivors of the smallpox | | | | concerns are soo great in fact that, |
| virus are left in one or both of their eyes. | | | | President George W. Bush of the U.S.A. has |
| Often times they will also have constant skin | | | | ordered all of his American military |
| scarring. Over the 20th century the smallpox | | | | personnel to be vaccinated against smallpox |
| virus was responsible for an estimated | | | | and has implemented a voluntary program for |
| 200-450 million deaths. After successfully | | | | vaccinating emergency medical personnel.Feel |
| completing several vaccination campaigns the | | | | free to reprint this article as long as you |
| World Health Organization(WHO) in 1979 stated | | | | keep the article, this caption and author |
| that smallpox virus had been eradicated. | | | | biography in tact with all hyperlinks.Ryan |
| Cultures of the virus are always kept at the | | | | Fyfe is the owner and operator of Smallpox |
| Disease Control and Prevention which is | | | | Information - which is the best site on the |
| located in the United States of America, as | | | | internet for all smallpox related |
| well as in the Institue of Virus Preparations | | | | information. |