INTRODUCTION

Smallpox is an acute, deadly, and highly infectious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus genus. The Latin word for “spotted” is the source for the disease’s name, and is descriptive for the pustular rash that develops in its victims. Known in antiquity, smallpox decimated populations throughout history in waves of epidemics across the globe. Although no cure was ever developed, the disease was eradicated in 1980 through an aggressive and cooperative vaccination program.

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