jan 28, 1519 - Smallpox

Description:

First made its way to the Americas in 1519 when Cortes took out the Aztec Empire with mostly the help of smallpox infecting natives with no immunity.

Symptoms:
-Fever
- Flu-like symptoms
- Slow development of rash, occurs in stages
- Bumps show up all over the body, especially legs and arms
- Become filled with pus and then scab over

Variola Major: Fatality rate- 30%
Variola Minor: Fatality rate- <1%

Treatment:
Lister brought the idea of variation to give people some immunity with cowpox. This dropped the death rate to 1-3%

History:
-17th century it was brought to North America
-1977: Last naturally occurring smallpox patient
-1978: Lab accident causes a few infections

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