Smallpox, which emerged as a serious threat in the past and caused serious epidemics and loss of life, is a type of viral infection. This disease, which has almost disappeared today, is caused by a virus called variola virus. The last smallpox epidemic was in 1946, and with the introduction of the smallpox vaccine, the variola virus disappeared. Although this disease is confused with chickenpox among the people due to its similar name, chickenpox and smallpox are different diseases. Although it resembles chickenpox in terms of skin rashes, smallpox is much more serious and has severe symptoms. Inflamed blisters that form on the skin in various parts of the body, unlike chickenpox, have a distinctive appearance and are deeper.
What is Smallpox?
Smallpox, one of the epidemic diseases seen in history, is among the infectious diseases that caused the most deaths. Smallpox, which is caused by the infection of the variola virus, has two different types, variola major and variola minor. Variola major, which is a much more severe form of the disease, has a serious mortality rate of 30%. Variola minor, which has a much lower lethality and has a mild course, causes death at a very low rate of 1%.
This infection, which has caused very serious epidemics and loss of life in history, is also the first disease for which a vaccine has been developed. Smallpox vaccine, which is the first vaccine developed in history, is a very important development in the field of medicine and has also been a guide in public health studies. With the application of the vaccine for years, the smallpox virus disappeared, and the last case was seen in 1977.
Symptoms of Smallpox
Smallpox is a serious infectious disease that occurs in different stages. Each stage of the disease contains distinctive symptoms. However, the symptoms seen with the progression of the disease intensify. The process that starts first after the infection of the virus It is called the nation stage. In this process, which can last from 7 days to 19 days, there are no symptoms or complaints, and there is no contagiousness. The first signs of smallpox after the incubation period include:
- High fever
- Headaches and body aches
- Chills and chills
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness
After about four days, the wounds on the skin turn into blisters filled with inflammation. During this process, it is usually accompanied by high fever. Then, for 10 days, the sores turn into small pea-like bumps under the skin and take on a pustular appearance. At the end of two weeks, these wounds crust over, then the crusts start to fall off and the disease goes into the healing process.
How Smallpox Is Transmitted?
Smallpox was a disease that could be easily transmitted in public or family environments before the discovery of the vaccine and the disappearance of the virus. The contagiousness of the virus begins in the early rash phase, when red patches appear on the tongue and mouth. Variola virus, which can be transmitted through droplets after this stage; It can easily be transmitted from person to person through droplets coming out of the respiratory tract during actions such as sneezing, coughing, speaking, breathing. The droplets in question contain the smallpox virus and when these viruses reach the respiratory tract of a healthy person, they also infect that person.
Inflamed fluid in the lesions that occur in the body after the early rash stage and the crusts covering the lesions can also lead to the transmission of the virus. Therefore, contact with a person with smallpox or public use areas with infected people can also be among the ways of transmission. sick There is no evidence that the fish was transmitted by insects or pets. Therefore, the infection is considered to be transmitted only from humans to humans.
After the smallpox vaccine was found and started to be applied during the periods when the disease caused serious epidemics, it was observed that immunity developed in people who were vaccinated. Today, smallpox vaccination is not included in the mandatory vaccination schedules since the virus has disappeared.
How to Treat Smallpox?
Smallpox can be easily diagnosed by physical examination after early eruptions occur. can be done. The most important reason for this is that it causes a more specific symptomatic appearance than similar diseases such as chickenpox and measles. Smallpox vaccine application, which was developed for protection from disease, can also be applied to prevent or alleviate the disease in people who have recently been in contact with the infectious agent. In people who have not yet come into contact with the virus, the smallpox vaccine provides close to one hundred percent protection against the disease.
In people who are known to be exposed to the virus, administration of the vaccine within the first 3 days after contact with the source of infection can prevent the development of the disease. The application of the vaccine between 4 days and 1 week after exposure to the virus helps to alleviate the disease to a certain extent. It has been observed that most of the patients who were vaccinated in the appropriate period after diagnosis survived the disease much milder than other people who were not vaccinated. However, there is no benefit or mitigating effect of the vaccine after the rash occurs in smallpox.
Antiviral drugs can be used in the treatment of the disease. Tecovirimat (TPOXX) is one of the drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of smallpox. Therefore, this medicine can be mentioned as an answer to the question of what is good for smallpox. Another area of use for the drug called Ecovirimat is to improve adverse reactions in people who have received smallpox vaccine.
Basically, this drug prevents the growth of the smallpox virus, thereby curing the infection. Head and body aches Treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs can be supported for purposes such as relieving pain and reducing fever. In addition, different supportive treatments such as practices for healthy nutrition and the use of some vitamin and mineral supplements that support the immune system may be recommended by the physician. Apart from the approved antiviral drug Tecovirimat, there are different antiviral drugs called brincidofovir and cidofovir.
It is known that these have preventive effects on the growth and reproduction of the variola virus that causes smallpox. However, these drugs are not FDA-approved for the treatment of smallpox, as there are not enough data on toxicity and safety, and there are not enough trials on smallpox patients. Although the smallpox virus has disappeared today, the stocks of these drugs are kept ready by the states in case smallpox comes to the fore again.
Isolation and early treatment is very important, as there are many different types of diseases that cause symptoms similar to smallpox and most of them are contagious.
Therefore, if you observe symptoms similar to smallpox in yourself or your child, seek medical advice immediately It would be beneficial for you to go through the examination by applying to the hospital. You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.
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