Orthopoxvirus/ Smallpox Taxonomy Target Tissues Ecology Symptoms Treatments and Prevention Research

Taxonomy Variola Major Most Common Most Fatal Four Types: 1)Ordinary 2)Modified 3)Flat 4)Hemorrhagic Variola Minor Less Common Less Fatal

-Face -Arms -Legs Target Tissues

Ecology Smallpox has been eradicated from nature Only exists in laboratories for the purpose of creating vaccines and preventing bioterrorism.

1)Fever 2)Depression 3)Head and Body Aches 4)Vomiting Early Symptoms

Later Symptoms 1)Rash 3) Pustules 2)Fever 4) Scabs

Treatments and Prevention - Vaccination, but it doesn’t work for everyone.

Research Current research has been done to distinguish between Old World and Current types of the Orthopoxviruses by PCR and Electrophoresis of the crmB gene.

Research Smallpox virus can be detected by PCR amplification of the hemagglutinin gene and then determining the melting point of the gene’s DNA will result in the identification of the virus.

References 1)Prescott, Lansing M., John P. Harley, Donald A. Klein, Microbiology, New York, McGraw-Hill )Vladimir N. Loparev, Robert F. Massung, Joseph J. Esposito, Hermann Meyer; “Detection and Differentiation of Old World Orthopoxviruses: Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism of the crmB Gene Region” JCM Vol. 39, 2001, )Mark J. Espy, Franklin R. Cockerill III, Richard F. Meyer, Michael D. Bowen, Gregory A. Poland, Ted L. Hadfield, Thomas F. Smith, “Detection of Smallpox Virus DNA by Lightcycler PCR” JCM Vol. 40, 2002, )Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12/12/02 US Department of Health and Human Services, 12/7/02/12/10/02