Small+Pox

=**Small Pox**=

=__What causes the disease?__= Small pox is caused by variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus. There are two variants of the virus Variola major and Variola minor. Variola major is the severe and most common form and can cause death while the Variola minor is the least common type and rarely causes death. Variola is a large brick-shaped virus measuring approximately 302 to 350 nanometers by 244 to 270 nm,with a single linear double stranded DNA genome 186 kilobase pairs in size and containing a hairpin loop at each end. double stranded DNA genome

= = =__What are the effects?__= Symptoms usually occur about 12-14 days after you are infected. Some effects that you will experience are sores, bodyache, delirium, diarrhea, excessive bleeding, fatigue, high fever, malaise, raised pink rash, severe headache, and vomiting. Complications from these effects include arthritis and bone infections, brain swelling, death, eye infections, pneumonia, scarring, severe bleeding, skin infections (from the sores). =__Are there treatments?__= Smallpox vaccination within three days of exposure will prevent or significantly lessen the severity of smallpox symptoms. After three days of exposure the vaccine can help prevent the diseases severity or cause more complications.Other than vaccination, treatment of small consists of wound care and infection control, fluid therapy, and possible ventilator assistance. No drug is currently approved for treatment of small pox.

=__How is it transmitted?__= Transmission occurs through inhalation of airborne variola virus, usually droplets expressed from the oral, nasal of an infected person. It is transmitted from one person to another primarily through prolonged face-to-face contact but can also be spread through direct contact with infected body fluids or contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing.Highly contagious but generally spreads more slowly and less widely than some other viral diseases.

=__How do you prevent getting the disease?__= The small pox disease is labelled as eradicated. There are few to no cases.