What is Smallpox? Smallpox is a heavily debilitating disease that is highly infectious and unique to humans. It is caused by one of two viral infections known as Variola minor or Variola major. The virus enters the blood vessels and often creates a variety of small; pimple sized fluid-filled bubbles on the surface of the infected individual's skin. These are often very painful. It begins with fever and chills and then persists into to rash as mentioned above.
What are the causes of smallpox? Smallpox is a very contagious disease and is most easily transferred from person to person by way of any contact between the infected and a non infected individual. This contact can be skin on skin or transferred by saliva or other bodily fluids. It is often transferred by contact with the droplets of saliva from the coughs and sneezes of an infected individual. A person can also contract the disease if they come in contact with a recently used item of the infected individual's such as a toothbrush, a comb, a blanket, or other utensils. The virus normally is contracted through the respiratory system and is sent bolting through the blood stream.
The only way to contract smallpox is direct contact with the virus. This is most commonly done through contact with an infected individual, though the raw viral matter can be incubated for a short time outside of organic tissue. Smallpox cannot be contracted through contact with an animal because animal immunes systems negate the effects of smallpox. Smallpox viral traces can be used to defeat the virus, however, they must be introduced into an immune system in small doses, allowing the immune system to learn to fight off the virus. However, this was rendered obsolete when a vaccine was created, though the vaccine does contain trace of the virus.