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SMALLPOX Katherine Stevens Year 10 Science Mr. Kearney
SMALLPOX
Katherine Stevens
Year 10 Science
Mr. Kearney
WHAT IS THE DISEASE?
There are two types of smallpox, variola major and variola minor.
Variola major is the one that causes death, and variola minor rarely causes death.
It is spread through saliva droplets, but can also be spread through bed sheets and clothing.
Most contagious during the first week and may continue to be contagious until the scabs from the rash fall off. If conditions are favourable smallpox can last for as long as 24 hours. If conditions are unfavourable smallpox can only last for about 6 hours.
WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE DISEASE?
The cause of smallpox is the infection of the variola virus, which can be either minor or major.
Smallpox can only infect humans.
WHAT TYPE OF DISEASE IS IT?
Smallpox is a virus.
WHO COMMONLY SUFFERS FROM THE DISEASE?
It commonly affects children and young adults, and was easily passed on by family members.
You could also contract the disease if you work in a laboratory where smallpox is kept, or are in an are where they have used smallpox as a biological element.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THIS DISEASE?
Backache
Delirium
Diarrhea
Excessive bleeding
Fatigue
High fever
Malaise
Raised pink rash – turns into sores that become crusty on day 8 or 9
Severe headache
Vomiting
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE?
After being infected with the disease if a person is vaccinated 1-4 days after it may prevent illness or make it less severe. Although once symptoms have started treatment is limited.
There isn’t a drug that is made for treating smallpox, but antibiotics can be given for the infections that can occur because of smallpox.
CAN IT BE CURED?
It can be prevented and eradicated, but once you have smallpox, you’re stuck with it.
OTHER INFORMATION
Smallpox had a death risk as high as 30%
Complications:
- Arthritis and bone infections
- Brain swelling
- Death
- Eye infections
- Pneumonia
- Scarring
- Severe bleeding
- Skin infections
Smallpox killed every fourth victim and scarred and blinded most survivors.
WHAT ARE IMPLCATIONS ON OR THE IMPACTS OF THE DISEASE
ON SOCIETY? Plenty of people died from it.
It was easily spread.
It impacted people’s hygiene methods.
Many lost loved ones, so it mentally affected people.
Prices of funeral services would have most likely gone up.
HAVE THE INSTANCES OF THE DISEASE INCREASED OR
DECREASED IN RECENT YEARS?
The instances have decreased dramatically in recent years.
It had decreased enough that it was wiped out during the 1970’s. Now only a few samples remain and are kept in laboratories.
IS THE DISEASE MORE COMMON IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD
THAN OTHERS?
Continent 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967
AFRICA 16,307 16,823 26,060 24,329 16,863 12,506 16,784 14,127 9,554
ASIA 71,309 39,843 53,957 63,616 98,784 43,537 39,145 50,494 50,958
EUROPE 26 47 24 136 129 -- 1 71 3
NORTH AMERICA -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
SOUTH AMERICA 5,490 7,931 9,026 9,718 7,151 3,398 3,515 3,092 426
OCEANIA -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
TOTAL 93,132 64,645 89,067 97,800 122,927 54,441 59,445 67,784 60,941
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PubMed Health
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002332/
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
MEDTV
http://virus.emedtv.com/smallpox/cause-of-smallpox.html
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/smallpox/en/
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
Image
http://www.viewzone.com/smallpox.baby.jpg
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Image
http://people.uwec.edu/piercech/bio/Pictures/smallpox.jpg
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
Image
http://www.wfu.edu/users/turnaw2/smallpoxsymptoms.htm
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
Image
http://futurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/smallpox2.jpg
Accessed on the 30/5/2012
Smallpox History
http://www.smallpoxhistory.ucl.ac.uk/
Accessed on the 31/5/2012
Image
http://stephenornes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/smallpox.jpg
Accessed on the 31/5/2012
