Smallpox Research Paper

Humanity overcoming challenges and establishing new scientific/medical techniques evolves through a dark, uncertain time of an outbreak of smallpox. The unclear origin of smallpox creates debate. However, triumph superseded smallpox by the first disease being successfully eradicated through vaccines and medication intervention. Even though outbreaks of smallpox led to many medical advancements such as the modern vaccine, epidemiological techniques have been established for disease control. Many scientists collaborated and the World Health Organization leadership played an important role in the eradication of smallpox. Smallpox has no known origin, giving mysterious theories. Smallpox may have occurred as early as Egyptian times. There is a …show more content…
Smallpox erased the population of the Aztec capital. The colonists that brought the disease to America passed on through many populations. Not only were the Native Americans affected, but also the African population was affected through the African slave trade. During this time, smallpox became a common childhood illness, like the cold. Many children would get the disease young, then build immunity as they get older. Immunity was also passed down through generations. Transmission of the disease is similar to the cold. The virus was passed through respiratory droplets or when individuals came in contact with contaminated body fluids or material such as clothing. Through this transmission process, smallpox wiped out many people. The respiratory droplets spread through coughing and sneezing. Also, the pustules brought another type of contaminant. The pus from the sores contaminated others. Gloves worn while caring for infected individuals. Contaminated clothing and blankets are often washed. People with the smallpox virus would be contagious until their last pustule fell off. Even touching the pustule scabs could spread the virus. Caring for these sick individuals is not …show more content…
Their goal is to eradicate smallpox. They achieved this through vaccinations and surveillance. The World Health Organization became one of the healthcare leaders of the field and still is today. In the 1960s, bifurcated needles were created. Also, freeze dried vaccines were disrupted by the Soviet Union. The bifurcated needles and freeze dried vaccines allowed the World Health Organization to mass vaccinate. Mass vaccinations and other control techniques allowed smallpox to be eradicated within 20 years of the beginning of the organization. One of the last recorded cases of smallpox was found in Bangladesh. In 1975, a young girl named Rahima Banu naturally contracted variola major. The World Health Organization swiftly came to isolate and give vaccines to everyone around her. In 1977, the Smallpox Eradication Program staff diagnosed Ali Maow Mallin with smallpox. In Somalia, Mallin contracted smallpox during a ride from a hospital with infected patients. Another later case of smallpox happened in a lab. Jeanette Parker worked in a smallpox research lab at Birmingham University Medical School and in 1978 she was infected from an airborne route of

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