It's worthwhile learning more about smallpox and keeping up with official advice, say researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

It'll probably never happen - but what if there were smallpox outbreak? How would we cope? The disease has been officially eradicated from the planet, but stocks of the smallpox virus still remain, and a deliberate or accidental release is not impossible.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic think it's worth your while to be familiar with the symptoms of smallpox which are fever, malaise, severe fatigue, headache and severe back pain occurring 12 to 14 days after infection. A few days later, a rash consisting of flat red spots appears on the face, hands and forearms. These then fill with pus, to give highly characteristic lesions which leave a scar (if you survive - smallpox has a high death rate).

The Center for Disease Control has a vaccination plan in case of an outbreak; the vaccine can prevent the disease or lessen its severity if given within a few days of infection. There's also a new rapid test for smallpox infection. There's no reason to panic - but it's always best to be prepared.

Source

Mayo Clinic Health Letter August 2002