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Article: Smallpox Vaccine
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- Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, andSecurity
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Smallpox Vaccine
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BRIAN HOYLE
Smallpox, or variola major, is a highly contagious disease that is caused by the variola virus. The name smallpox comes from the Latin word for spotted. A visual hallmark of smallpox is the raised bumps that appear on the victim's face and body. Smallpox is fatal in approximately 25% of cases.
There is no cure for smallpox, and treatment is supportive. Prevention of the disease by the administration of smallpox vaccine is the most effective strategy to eliminate the spread of smallpox. Vaccination, conducted on a worldwide scale, was successful in effectively eliminating smallpox as a naturally occurring disease.
The eradication of smallpox ...