Paper Summary:

The paper describes the origins of smallpox and the signs and symptoms of the disease. The paper discusses the transmission of smallpox and its diagnosis, treatment and prevention. The paper examines the risks of smallpox today and evaluates the threat of terrorist attacks involving biological weapons including smallpox.

Outline:
Description of Disease/History
Symptoms
How Spreads/Transmission/Causes & Risk Factors
Test & Diagnosis
Treatment/Prevention
Smallpox as Weapon
Prognosis

From the Paper:

"Many believe variola, the virus responsible for smallpox, originated during the times of Ramses V of Egypt, around 1157 BC, "as evidenced by his scarred mummified remains" (Mackelprang, Mackelprang and Thirkill 119). The disease is permanently scarring to those infected, and very difficult to recover from. There are entire populations that were eradicated due to smallpox infestation during early history, and it was only until the mid 1900s when the last reported case was documented in the United States; Worldwide the last case was reported in 1977 (Mackelprang, Mackelprang and Thirkill 119)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Annas, George J. "Smallpox Vaccine: Not Worth the Risk", The Hastings Center Report, 33.2, 2003. pp.6-9.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002) Smallpox fact sheet, smallpox overview. Retrieved December 7, 2007: http://www.cdc.gov/smallpox
• Giblin, James C. When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS. New York: Harper Collins, 1995.
• Koplow, David A. Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge. University of California Press, Berkeley: 2003.
• Mackelprang, Romel, Mackelprang R.D. and Thirkill, Ashley D. "Bioterrorism and Smallpox: Policies, Practices, and Implications for Social Work". Social Work, 50.2, 2005. pp.119-121.

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