Smallpox
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Last reviewed: July 2016
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Smallpox (Variola) - Factsheets
Smallpox last appeared in Australia in 1938, and the last case naturally occurring cases in the world was reported from Somalia in 1977. The virus is now only held officially in two secure laboratories. Any reappearance of smallpox is likely to be the result of bioterrorism, but the risk of this is extremely low.
Read more on NSW Health website
Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Vaccination against a range of bacterial and viral diseases is an integral part of communicable disease control world-wide. Vaccination against a specific disease not only reduces the incidence of that disease, it reduces the social and economic burden of the disease on communities. Very high immunisation coverage can lead to complete blocking of transmission for many vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). The world-wide eradication of smallpox and the near eradication of polio from many countries provide excellent examples of the role of immunisation in disease control.
Read more on Department of Health website
Brain Foundation | Transverse Myelitis
Read more on Brain Foundation website
Kids' Health - Topics - Chickenpox
Lots of little kids call this disease chickenpops, and I suppose that's easy to understand, as the spots sort of pop out on the skin for several days!
Read more on Women's and Children's Health Network website
Biologic treatments used in dermatology - ACD
Biologics are medications made from human or animal proteins. They are designed to specifically target biologic pathways that cause inflammation in the skin and other organs.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Vaccination - myDr.com.au
Vaccination is one of the most important public health measures in the world. Find out how vaccination works and about childhood and adult immunisations.
Read more on myDr website
Infections - bacterial and viral | Better Health Channel
Read more on Better Health Channel website
Kids' Health - Topics - Immunisation - keeping safe from diseases
Immunisation (say im-you-ny-zay-shun) means putting a special type of substance (a vaccine) into your body so that your body can learn how to fight an infection. That way, you will be protected (or immune) from getting sick if someone around you has the germs for that infection. There are immunisations for many different infections, including some rather nasty ones. Immunisation is an easy and very safe way of protecting you. Immunisations are usually given as an injection (by a needle in your arm or leg) or sometimes as a medicine that you drink.
Read more on Women's and Children's Health Network website
Immunisation | The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network
Read more on Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website
Kenacort-A 10 Suspension for injection - myDr.com.au
Kenacort-A 10 Suspension for injection - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Read more on myDr – Consumer Medicine Information website
Found 2 results
Guidelines for Smallpox Outbreak, Preparedness, Response and Management
The guidelines provide technical information about the management of a threat, or an outbreak, of smallpox.
Read more on Department of Health website
Vaccines for preventing smallpox | Cochrane
Smallpox is an acute viral infection unique to humans. A worldwide smallpox campaign (including mass vaccination, patient isolation, and surveillance) contributed to the eradication of the disease by 1980. However, there is growing concern that the virus could now be used as a biological weapon. Smallpox spreads from one person to another by infected saliva droplets. The incubation period is 7 to 17 days. The symptoms begin with severe headache, backache, and fever up to 40 C, all beginning abruptly. Then a rash appears on the face and spreads, the spots become watery blisters containing pus that form scabs and leave pitted scars when they fall off. The infected person is contagious until the last smallpox scab has fallen off, although most of the transmission occurs in the first week. Most people with smallpox recover, but some do die and the risk depends on the strain of virus. The early vaccines were effective, but they had a number of adverse effects, including headache, fever, and reaction at the infection site, and also the possibility of death. New vaccines continue to be developed. The review identified 10 trials that involved 2412 participants. Overall, the quality of the trials was not high but the review showed that stockpiles of the vaccines maintained their effectiveness even when diluted. New second-generation vaccines seemed to be effective but still have adverse events. There were too few participants overall to be able to assess rare outcomes. Further research is needed, particularly on the third-generation vaccines.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
