Smallpox vaccine can it spread

Members of these teams - health care and public health workers - are being vaccinated so that they might safely protect others in the event of a smallpox outbreak. The deliberate release of smallpox as an epidemic disease is now regarded as a possibility, and the United States is taking precautions to deal with this possibility. Category A agents are those that pose the greatest potential threat for adverse public health impact and have a moderate to high potential for large-scale dissemination.

The public is generally more aware of category A agents, and broad-based public health preparedness efforts are underway. Other Category A agents are anthrax, plague, botulism, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers.

At the moment, the smallpox vaccine is not available for members of the general public. In the event of a smallpox outbreak, however, there is enough smallpox vaccine to vaccinate everyone who would need it. The symptoms of smallpox begin with high fever, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. A rash follows that spreads and progresses to raised bumps and pus-filled blisters that crust, scab, and fall off after about three weeks, leaving a pitted scar.

After exposure, it takes between 7 and 17 days for symptoms of smallpox to appear average incubation time is 12 to 14 days. During this time, the infected person feels fine and is not contagious. Smallpox normally spreads from contact with infected persons.

Generally, direct and fairly prolonged face-to-face contact is required to spread smallpox from one person to another. Smallpox also can be spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing. Indirect contact is not common. Rarely, smallpox has been spread by virus carried in the air in enclosed settings such as buildings, buses, and trains.

Smallpox is not known to be transmitted by insects or animals. A person with smallpox is sometimes contagious with onset of fever prodrome phase , but the person becomes most contagious with the onset of rash. Patients remain infectious until the last scab falls off. Smallpox can be prevented through use of the smallpox vaccine, even if the vaccine is given within three days after exposure to smallpox. There is no proven treatment for smallpox, but research to evaluate new antiviral agents is ongoing.

Preliminary results with the drug, cidofovir suggest it may be useful. The use of cidofovir to treat smallpox or smallpox vaccine reactions should be evaluated and monitored by experts at NIH and CDC.

Patients with smallpox can benefit from supportive therapy e. The smallpox vaccine is the only way to prevent smallpox. The vaccine is made from a virus called vaccinia, which is another pox-type virus related to smallpox.

The vaccine helps the body develop immunity to smallpox. It was successfully used to eradicate smallpox from the human population. Routine vaccination of the American public against smallpox stopped in after the disease was eradicated in the United States. Until recently, the U. After the events of September and October, , however, we have taken extensive actions to improve our level of preparedness against terrorism. For smallpox, this included updating a response plan and ordering enough smallpox vaccine to immunize the American public in the event of a smallpox outbreak.

The plans are in place, and there is sufficient vaccine available to immunize everyone who might need it in the event of an emergency. The smallpox vaccine is not available to the general public at this time. If vaccination is considered advisable, you will be notified quickly. The smallpox vaccine is not given with a hypodermic needle. It is not a shot, like many vaccinations. The vaccine is given using a bifurcated two-pronged needle that is dipped into the vaccine solution.

When removed, the needle retains a droplet of the vaccine. The needle is then used to prick the skin 15 times in a few seconds. The pricking is not deep, but it will cause a sore spot and one or two drops of blood to form. The vaccine usually is given in the upper arm. If the vaccination is successful, a red and itchy bump develops at the vaccination site in three or four days.

In the first week after vaccination, the bump becomes a large blister, fills with pus, and begins to drain. During week two, the blister begins to dry up and a scab forms. The scab falls off in the third week, leaving a small scar. Women who are pregnant or nursing. People who have eczema or another chronic skin condition.

People who have a condition or get treatment that weakens their immune system. People who live or work with someone who has a skin condition or weakened immune system. People who are allergic to any ingredient in the smallpox vaccine. People who have a heart condition. People who have 3 or more of the following risk factors: High blood cholesterol. High blood pressure. Diabetes or high blood sugar. Family history of heart disease. Things to consider The smallpox vaccine is no longer available to the public.

Questions to ask your doctor How do I know if I should get the smallpox vaccine? Does smallpox still exist in third-world countries? Last Updated: August 31, This article was contributed by familydoctor.

Tags: immunizations. Smallpox infections no longer occur in the world. Currently, the risks of the vaccine clearly outweigh its benefits. However, if smallpox infections were to occur again in the United States, the relationship between vaccine risks and benefits would change dramatically. Smallpox and vaccinia in Vaccines, 7th Edition, , Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available.

The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy. You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.

Contact Us Online. The disease What is smallpox? About 30 of every people infected with smallpox will die from the disease. How do you catch smallpox? Usually it takes about 12 days from the time one is exposed to the virus for symptoms to begin. What is the smallpox vaccine and how is it made? Vaccine success Smallpox was the first human infection to be successfully eradicated. How is the smallpox vaccine administered? Does the smallpox vaccine have side effects?

Severe side effects following administration of the smallpox vaccine do occur but are relatively uncommon: In a small number of people, the smallpox vaccine can cause swelling of the heart or the tissue that surrounds it, leading to chest pain or pressure, fast or irregular heartbeat, or breathing problems. These can occur up to 4 weeks after receipt of the vaccine and should be brought to the attention of a healthcare provider as they can cause a medical emergency.

Swelling of the brain or spinal cord Bacterial infection of the vaccination site Spread of the virus to other parts of the body, or even to other people, particularly if the recipient scratches the injection site and then touches another part of their body without washing their hands Severe allergic reaction shortly after receipt of the vaccine, called anaphylaxis While anyone can experience side effects, some people are at greater risk.

These include those who: Have eczema, atopic dermatitis or other skin issues Have heart conditions or a family history of heart problems, including history of heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke or other conditions Smoke Have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood sugar Are pregnant or breastfeeding Are less than 1 year old Are using steroid-based eye medications Had allergic reactions to previous doses or are allergic to neomycin or polymyxin B Who should get the smallpox vaccine?

How long does immunity to smallpox last? Do the benefits of the smallpox vaccine outweigh its risks? Disease risks Although this disease is deadly, no cases occur anywhere in the world, so the risk today is zero.

Because there is no risk of disease, this is a situation in which the use of a vaccine does NOT outweigh the risks of disease. Vaccine risks Inflammation of heart or tissues surrounding heart Infection of the inoculation site Inadvertent inoculation of another site or other people Swelling of brain or spinal cord Severe allergic reaction Rarely death. Cohen, J. Smallpox vaccinations: how much protection remains?

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