Among biological weapons, smallpox is by far the bad boy of them all. “When the Hernando Cortez arrived in America infecting the Aztec Indian communities in 1520 AD, 35 million Aztecs died during the following two year. In the United States in 1763, Colonel Henry Bouchet gave smallpox-infected blankets to the Native Americans during Pontiac’s Rebellion, killing thousands; Sir Jeffrey Amherst, Commander of the British forces in North America, used the same technique in New England with the same results,” [Bromley, Sutton 4, (p. 72,78), 6]. Smallpox was a monstrous weapon that Europeans used against the North and South American native Indian population. Radical organizations considered as the present day threat, such as bin Laden and Aum Shinrikyo sect in Japan, may someday acquire Smallpox to use as a bioterror weapon, (Preston, 131). Can America ever be ready for a Smallpox outbreak: proper education would be difficult, an antiviral can only happen by chance, and a government response would be haphazard at best; in the event a Smallpox outbreak occurs, hopefully we’ll have an antiviral solution.
Deadly viruses surround the human population always waiting for the right condition to destroy the human race. The average human being may only know about three or four of these major viruses. Scientists have determined which viruses could start a massive epidemic. After the 9/11 incidents, scientists around the world are mainly concentrating on smallpox. In 1979, a team of doctors and health officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) eliminated and collected all known samples of smallpox from the globe. Officially, the smallpox virus exists in only two repositories: in freezers in a building called Corpus 6 at Vector in Siberia,...
... middle of paper ...
... about smallpox attack, perceptions of the vaccine's risk will influence on oil decisions of healthcare workers about the vaccine.
Works Cited
• Richard Preston. "The Demon in the freezer", Random House publishing group. 2002. Print
• Terry L. Schraeder, M.D., and Edward W. Campion, M.D. " Smallpox Vaccination — The Call to Arms", n engl j med348;5 www.nejm.org january30, 2003. Web
• Daniel J. Kuhles and David M. Ackman. "Smallpox Vaccination Program: Where Do We Go From Here? “http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/early/2003/10/22/hlthaff.w3.503.citation. Web
• W Katherine Yih*1, Tracy A Lieu1,2,3, Virginia H Rêgo1, Megan A O'Brien1, David K Shay4, Deborah S Yokoe5,6 and Richard Platt1,5,6,7. "Attitudes of healthcare workers in U.S. hospitals regarding smallpox vaccination." BMC Public Health 2003. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/3/20/prepub. Web
“Future nations will know by history only that the loathsome smallpox has existed and by you extirpated”. This quote comes from Thomas Jefferson to Edward Jenner, he founder of the smallpox vaccine. It would only be 100 years later that Jefferson would see his dream fulfilled, but not without struggle. In House on Fire, author William H. Foege shares his first hand view of the lengths that society needed to go through to rid the world of the disease that had plagued it for so long. The story of the fight against smallpox extends long before our efforts for global eradication and is a representation of how society deals with widespread disease. House on
The World Health Organization announced that smallpox had been eradicated from the planet on May 8, 1980. This was prompted by a three year absence of a smallpox infection; the last occurring case was reported in Somalia in 1977. Since then, worldwide stock of smallpox vaccines has been reduced enormously simply because of speculation that there is no need for it anymore and administering the vaccine is impertinent. After the disappearance of smallpox as an afflicting disease, it now exists in labs in only two locations, the United States and Russia, where it is studied for research purposes only. Smallpox is a virus that has two major forms, Variola major and Variola minor, and each form has similar and differentiating symptoms with regards to the other type (Alibek, 1999).
... risk of developing the disease. It was observed that those who had been infected with the clinically similar but less severe cowpox disease by milking cows were also immune to smallpox. This observation led Edward Jenner to his first ever vaccination technique. He inserted the cowpox virus obtained from the scabs of a woman into a boy, and then when the boy was inoculated some time later, he proved immune to smallpox (Fenner). It is impossible to contract smallpox from this inoculation of the less virulent related virus and allowed individuals a way to protect themselves without risk. Later, the smallpox vaccination was adapted by using a different live virus, the vaccinia virus which is more similar to variola than cowpox and therefore provides better cross-immunity. As the practice of vaccination gained popularity, it had a significant impact on life expectancy.
Smallpox has been believed to be a prominent killer for thousands of years. Before 900 AD smallpox and measles were easily interchangeable to many physicians. These two diseases possessed similar symptoms, such as fevers and rashes, making it very difficult to distinguish between them. It was not until the Persian physician, Rhazes Ar-Raz Abmiz, that measles and smallpox were able to be clinically distinguished in 900 AD. Much later in 1751, Thomas Sydenham found further differentiating characteristics between the two diseases(Aufderheide, 202). Through the years, with its many outbreaks in varying areas across the planet, smallpox claimed millions of victims. Many rulers and soldiers were killed by this incredibly infectious disease. To prevent and hopefully stop the increasing numbers of deaths due to smallpox, many physicians slaved away to invent and find a cure for this disease. The first effective method of prevention was called variolation. Variolation was later modified and improved with vaccinations(Hopkins, 15). Today wild smallpox is no longer a risk. The last natural case of smallpox was reported in Somalia in 1977. While the last reported death due to smallpox was reported to be a year later in the UK(McNeil, 165). Smallpox is not completely out of the picture. After the 2001 attacks with anthrax, a strong paranoia of smallpox being used as another possible mean of bioterrorism has arisen(Oldstone, 32).
Smallpox is a highly infectious and fatal disease caused by the Variola virus. It causes extremely painful pustules to sprout across the entire body. Spread from human to human, it has since been eradicated from the world through the efforts of the World Health Organization. However, there is a distinct possibility that it may be reintroduced through bioterrorism. Biological weapons may cause another pandemic to erupt across the world and kill millions of individuals. Through constant vigilance and careful planning, mankind can prevent this scenario.
The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston is an intriguing book that discusses the anthrax terrorist attacks after 9/11 and how smallpox might become a future bioterrorist threat to the world. The book provides a brief history of the smallpox disease including details of an outbreak in Germany in 1970. The disease was eradicated in 1979 due to the World Health Organization’s aggressive vaccine program. After the virus was no longer a treat the World Health Organization discontinued recommending the smallpox vaccination. In conjunction, inventory of the vaccine was decreased to save money. The virus was locked up in two labs, one in the United States and one in Russia. However, some feel the smallpox virus exists elsewhere. Dr. Peter Jahrling and a team of scientists at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Maryland became concerned terrorists had access to the smallpox virus and planed to alter the strain to become more resistant. These doctors conducted smallpox experiments to discover more effective vaccines in case the virus were released. Preparedness for a major epidemic is discussed as well as the ease with which smallpox can be bioengineered.
One of the world’s most dreaded plagues for centuries, smallpox is now eradicated. Vaccination programs were pushed worldwide by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the disease was eliminated from the world. This push resulted in the last naturally occurring case in the world being almost 40 years ago. Once eradicated the once routine or mandatory vaccinations were stopped for the general public and it was deemed no longer necessary to prevent the disease. Although currently eradicated worldwide, two medical laboratory stockpiles still remain in Russia and the United States. With these stockpiles in existence the possibility of bio terrorism emerges and fear of these stockpiles getting into the wrong hands and being weaponized for use against the public is rising. The smallpox disease is highly contagious and easily communicable and currently there is no cure for this disease. If reintroduced, an epidemic would be devastating worldwide.
Smallpox is a lethal disease that is caused by Variola virus, which is classified under orthopoxvirus family (Norn, 2011). Small pox was one of the most feared diseases in the world until it was eradicated by a joint global vaccination program that was led by the World Health Organization. Eradication of this disease was a major global achievement where smallpox disease was officially declared eradicated in the year 1979. The last known case of small pox was recorded in Somalia in the year 1977. The other case of small pox that was recorded in 1978 in Birmingham city was as a result of laboratory accident (Surjan, 2009). One person was killed in the incidence and a limited outbreak of the disease was recorded.
For approximately three-thousand years, smallpox has ravaged and plagued the four corners of the globe. In fact, in the 17 th and 18 th centuries, it was claimed to be the most infectious disease in the West, with an astounding 90% mortality rate in America. It wasn't until 1796, with English surgeon Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination, that the world saw relief from this devastating virus. However, even with this inoculation in use, the world continued to witness death from both the virus and the vaccine. In the year 1966, it was estimated that 10-15 million infected citizens world wide had passed away from smallpox that year alone ( “History” 12). As a result of these devastating numbers, in the following year, 1967, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) created a program to eradicate the smallpox virus. Ten years later, in 1977, the estimated 10-15 million cases had dwindled down to one; a man in Somalia. Three years later, W.H.O. officially announced that smallpox had been eradicated, leaving the only remaining virus cultures stored and guarded in laboratories in Russia and the United States. Inoculations ceased, smallpox epidemics were non-existent, and the virus was no longer a concern. In order to ensure complete eradication of this deadly virus, the W.H.O. insisted that the remaining smallpox cultures be destroyed by 1999 ( “Smallpox Eradication” 2). However, despite the W.H.O.'s recommendation, the remaining cultures continue to be contained and protected to this day, five years after the suggested date of elimination.
Smallpox is a disease from the variola virus. Smallpox has caused an estimated number of 300 million deaths in the 1900s alone. Smallpox is said to have been around since the ancient Egyptian times. The disease was eradicated in the late 20th century and two samples are still kept, one in U.S.A and one in Russia. Smallpox creates bumps and blisters all over the body and has been one of the most fatal epidemics the world has seen.
It is hard to say whether this plan, had it been successful, would have been for the public good. Before this vaccination period, smallpox had been declared eradicated, and only the United States and Russia were allowed to remain in possession of strains of the disease for research. Fearing an attack, President Bush chose to target those who would be the first-responders in the face of a national medical emergency. However, the CDC has emphasized that there is no imminent threat of an outbreak, which leads one to wonder if this vaccine is really necessary or useful to the public, or if it only hinders our workforce and wastes the tax-payer’s money (5).
Vaccines are one of modern medicine 's game-changing breakthroughs, but they have been around for hundreds of years earlier in primitive forms. Dating back to medieval times, the first precursor to modern vaccination occurred in China around the tenth century. (2) Known as variolation or inoculation, the method was used to prevent smallpox that plagued Europe and Asia. (2) Chinese doctors found that when healthy people were exposed to smallpox scab tissue, they were less likely to get infected or got a milder, less dangerous case. (2) The most common form of inoculation in China was to crush smallpox scabs into powder and then breathe it through the nose.(2) Because smallpox was such a destructive disease, in the late 1700 's, George Washington ordered mandatory inoculation for troops who hadn 't survived smallpox before. (2) Also in the late 1700 's, Edward Jenner
Illness has been a major part of humankind’s lives almost since the beginning of time. Throughout history, illnesses caused fatal epidemics that caused deaths between young and old, and brought fear upon all for the absence of a cure. Having an illness throughout most of history was considered an inevitable death sentence, as the majority of causes of death (Offit). Vaccinations have been experimented in China and Turkey in the 15th century, with methods such as inhaling or rubbing grounded up smallpox scabs against open cuts (Clem). Then in 1700s, the first form of modern vaccination was invented by Edward Jenner with the cowpox virus acting against smallpox, giving immunity against it (Offit).
Pandemics and epidemics are diseases that affect many people all over the world. They cause millions of deaths and leave many people sick. Most epidemics are contagious and spread very quickly. One kind of epidemic is the variola virus. Variola virus is most known by the name smallpox. it got it’s nickname from the small blisters that appear on the face and arms. Smallpox is believed to have originated in Egypt or Northeastern Africa about 10,000 years ago. It soon reached Asia during the middle ages and reached Europe in 700 A.D.In 18th Century Europe it killed about 400,000 people a year. In the 20th Century alone, it has killed about 300 million. This disease has also led to the downfall of the Aztec Empire and killed many royal figures from France, Russia and other countries.
The history of vaccine started with the spread of smallpox disease. Smallpox was a contagious disease and, it was spreading fast leaving permanent scars on patients' faces or worse taking their lives. At the time, there were several attempt to treat and prevent smallpox, but Edward Jenner had the greatest rule in eliminating smallpox.“Jenner's work represented the first scientific attempt to control an infectious disease by the deliberate use of vaccination”. ( “Conclusion” 1,2). Nowadays, Statistics show significant reduction in the cases of infectious diseases after the widespread of vaccination. There were annually 63,000 cases of Pneumococcal among children in the United States. After the beginning of vaccination, the cases redu...