Yahoo Web Search

Search results

Smallpox is a serious and often deadly viral infection. It's contagious — meaning it spreads from person to person — and can cause permanent scarring. Sometimes, it causes disfigurement.
Smallpox has affected humans for thousands of years but was wiped out worldwide by 1980 thanks to smallpox vaccines. It's no longer found naturally in the world. The last case of naturally occurring smallpox was reported in 1977.
Samples of smallpox virus have been kept for research purpo...

	When to seek medical or mental health expert
	Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

	Prognosis / Life Expectancy
	Research & Books

The first symptoms of smallpox usually appear 12 to 14 days after you're exposed to the smallpox virus. However, the virus can be in your body from 7 to 19 days before you look or feel sick. This time is called the incubation period.
After the incubation period, sudden flu-like symptoms occur. These include:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headache...

Smallpox is caused by the variola virus. The virus can spread:
- Directly from person to person. You can catch the smallpox virus by being around someone who has it. An infected person can spread the virus when they cough, sneeze or talk. Coming in contact with skin sores also can cause you to get smallpox.
- Indirectly from an infected person. Rarely, smallpox can spread through the air inside buildings, infecting people in o...

If someone were infected with smallpox, new antiviral medications may be used.
- Tecovirimat (Tpoxx). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this drug for use in the U.S. in 2018. Research found that it worked in animals and in lab tests. However, it hasn't been tested in people who are sick with smallpox. So it's not known if it's an effective drug option. A study tested it in healthy people and found it to be safe.
- Brincidofovir (Tembexa). The FDA approved this drug in 2021...

If a smallpox outbreak happened, people with smallpox would be isolated to try to stop the spread of the virus. Anyone who had contact with someone who had smallpox would need a smallpox vaccine. A vaccine can protect you from getting sick or cause you to get less sick if you get smallpox. The vaccine should be given before or one week after exposure to the virus.
Two vaccines are available:
- The ACAM2000 vaccine uses a live virus that's like smallpox...

For informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.