What do smallpox lesions look like?

What do smallpox lesions look like?

The rash looks like red bumps that gradually fill with a milky fluid. The fluid-filled bumps are all in the same stage at the same time, compared to chickenpox, where the skin blisters are in different stages of appearance with a mix of blisters, bumps, and crusted lesions at a given time.

What is the morphology of smallpox?

Virion morphology: Brick-shaped virion approximately 200 nm in diameter, 250 to 300 nm long, and 250 nm high (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses); about the size of a bacterial spore. Enveloped. Dumbbell-shaped core containing nucleic acid and surrounded by a series of membranes.

How would you describe smallpox?

Smallpox: A highly contagious and frequently fatal viral disease that is characterized by a biphasic fever and a distinctive skin rash that leaves pock marks in its wake.

What is the origin of smallpox?

Early Victims. Smallpox is thought to have originated in India or Egypt at least 3,000 years ago. The earliest evidence for the disease comes from the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses V, who died in 1157 B.C. His mummified remains show telltale pockmarks on his skin.

Is smallpox and chickenpox the same?

Chickenpox is the most important disease likely to be confused with smallpox. It is caused by a different virus. In smallpox, fever is present for 2 to 4 days before the rash begins, while with chickenpox, fever and rash develop at the same time.

Is smallpox RNA or DNA?

Smallpox is a double-stranded, 135- to 375-kilobase (kb) DNA virus that replicates in the cytoplasm of the host cell and forms B-type inclusion bodies (Guarnieri bodies). This is in contrast to herpes viruses, which replicate in the nucleus. The orthopoxviruses are among the largest and most complex of all viruses.

What is the virulence factor of smallpox?

One protein, the smallpox inhibitor of complement enzymes (SPICE), is homologous to a vaccinia virus virulence factor, the vaccinia virus complement-control protein (VCP), which has been found experimentally to be expressed early in the course of vaccinia infection.

What is the difference between smallpox and chickenpox?

What are 5 symptoms of smallpox?

Signs and Symptoms

• Incubation Period. This stage can last anywhere from 7 to 19 days (although the average length is 10 to 14 days).
• Initial Symptoms. This stage lasts anywhere from 2 to 4 days.
• Early Rash.
• Pustular Rash and Scabs.
• Scabs Fall Off.
• No Scabs.

Can smallpox come back?

Smallpox was eradicated (eliminated from the world) in 1980. Since then, there haven’t been any recorded cases of smallpox. Because smallpox no longer occurs naturally, scientists are only concerned that it could reemerge through bioterrorism.

Does smallpox still exist?

Thanks to the success of vaccination, the last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. In 1980, the World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated (eliminated), and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since.