What is the Prognosis of Smallpox?

Smallpox is a highly contagious viral illness which has had devastating effect on human health throughout history. The disease has been eradicated by the intense global immunization campaign and the last naturally occurring case of smallpox was reported in 1977. Read to know some facts on the prognosis of smallpox.

According to studies, about 30% of people exposed to the virus become infected and as many as 30% of those who were unvaccinated, died. Several severe complications can occur in the survivors of the disease.

Possible Complications of Smallpox Infection

• Secondary bacterial infections of the skin lesions.
• Pitted scars or deeply scarred skin from pustules.
• Arthritis and bone infections (osteomyelitis).
• Brain infection and inflammation (encephalitis).
• Death.
• Eye infections, blindness.
• Pneumonia (lung infection).
• Scarring.
• Severe bleeding.
• Skin infections (from the sores).
• Foetal infections (if infection occurs during pregnancy), complications or death of the foetus.

The outcome of smallpox infection is usually poor. Before the eradication of the disease, it occurred as epidemics which swept across continents, killing thousands of people, decimating populations and changing the course of history.

Read more articles on Smallpox Diagnosis and Prognosis