What is Smallpox? The Gruesome History and Successful Eradication
Summary
Smallpox is caused by the variola virus (VARV), a highly virulent species belonging to the genus orthopoxvirus of the poxvirus family [1,2,3]. Also known as ‘pox,’ ‘red plague,’ and ‘speckled monster,’ it has the dubious distinction of having wiped out a significant percentage of the world’s population. Due to this danger, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers smallpox a Category A bioterrorism agent. The CDC defines Category A agents as those that are high-priority and are a risk to national security because they are: • None can cause widespread illness and public panic Historians lack clarity concerning the origins of smallpox. People from Africa were brought to America in overcrowded and highly unhygienic conditions that served as a hotbed for smallpox and other infectious diseases.
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