Smallpox Moosa Mohammed Health Science Technology 3/4/2016 Smallpox Smallpox is a viral and contagious infection that is caused by the Variola Virus. Smallpox is a disease that arose approximately 10,000 years ago in Africa and Southern Asia that spread quickly through the air and eventually spread throughout the whole world. Smallpox is a fatal and dangerous disease that has no cure but does have a vaccination to prevent it. However the vaccination does comes with a few dangerous side effects making this infection something no one wants to have. In addition Smallpox can spread very easily making people more vulnerable to it. Smallpox has had its fair share in the deaths of many people including significant icons throughout …show more content…
Furthermore it is one of the most deadliest and fastest spreading diseases in all of history. As if for now Smallpox is extremely rare making this infection a disease of the past that may or may not make a comeback. Pathophysiology Smallpox is a an infection/ disease that is caused by the Variola virus . Smallpox is an epidemic that spread the variola virus through primarily the air (Gale, 2013) . The Variola virus comes in two different forms in which both have different effects. The first type of the variola virus and the most harmful/ deadliest is the variola major. The second is the variola minor which is not as deadly as the first type but can cause and inflict harm to the body in multiple ways (Gale,2013). Since variola is a type of virus, it conducts the functions of most viruses which is to spread in mass amounts and attach to a host cell. This results in the the organism getting infected with the virus (Gale,2013) . The variola virus spreads quickly making it a highly contagious infection to obtain. The virus is acquired through multiple ways such as airborne, bloodborne and physical touch. The virus can also be acquired by having contact with an object that had previous contact with another infected individual (Gale,2013). …show more content…
It was a disease caused by the Variola virus both type major and minor. It was spread through means of contact such as airborne,bloodborne, and foodborne . Since it was a virus it hacked cells of the body and and reproduced in host cells giving the body terrible effects and symptoms such as permanent red scars/spots , vomiting, fever and colds. It can be tested and confirmed through the use of an electron microscope and through physical findings. . It lasts a duration of couple weeks to a month and during this time makes the person significantly ill. The virus can only spread to humans and has no cure/treatment . However, treatment to improve comfort/condition is available. Prevention can be done through vaccination of avoiding of any contact with an infected individual. Smallpox has been on Earth for hundreds of years and is known to be one of the most deadliest diseases/ epidemics ever experienced by humanity. It kills about thirty percent of all people infected and spreads very quickly as it is highly contagious. Smallpox is known to happen to even some of the most significant icons all throughout history including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Mozart. It's been one of the deadliest diseases to ever spread in this world for the past hundred years which has now been eradicated saving millions of lives every year. Before you end reading this paper