Hi, need to submit a 1250 words paper on the topic Eradicating Smallpox. During this period, there are no symptoms shown in the infected person and do not shed virus
Hi, need to submit a 1250 words paper on the topic Eradicating Smallpox. During this period, there are no symptoms shown in the infected person and do not shed virus. After the incubation period, the disease is followed by the sudden onset of influenza-like symptoms including fever, malaise, headache, prostration, severe back pain and abdominal pain and vomiting, although the last two symptoms seldom occur. These symptoms are followed by the falling of temperature and appearance of the rash on face, hands and forearms, and body trunk. At this stage, lesions also develop in the mucosal membranes of nose and mouth and ulcerate very soon after their formation, releasing large amounts of virus into mouth and throat. The major forms showed lesions in more severe or milder forms, while in hemorrhagic forms, The rash is accompanied by hemorrhage into the mucous membranes and the skin. The malignant form is characterized by the failure of the lesions to develop into the pustular stage and remains soft and flat. Both the rare forms are fatal.
The complications of smallpox include deep pitted scars, blindness, and limb deformity. About 65-80% survivors are marked with deep pitted scars, most prominently on the face. Another complication is blindness and in the 18th century Europe, a third of all reported cases of blindness were due to smallpox. In Vietnam, a survey conducted in 1898 showed 90% of all blindness was ascribed to smallpox. Limb deformity is another complications although it only occurs about 2-5% of cases. The fatality rate of smallpox is about 30% but there was no effective treatment. Recent research has suggested that antiviral drug such as cidofovir might be useful as a therapeutic agent.
Caring for smallpox patients and reduced productivity also created an economic burden to the society. In 1976, the cost of treating a patient with smallpox was $2.85 and the annual total cost of patient care was about 12 million in India. .
