Smallpox

Smallpox is an acute infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. Also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera; a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning spotted, or varus, meaning "pimple". The term "smallpox" was first used in Europe in the 15th century to distinguish variola from the great pox . Smallpox localizes in small blood vessels of the skin and in the mouth and throat. In the skin, this results in the characteristic maculopapular rash, which evolves into raised vesicles, then into fluid-filled pustules. V. major produces a more serious disease and has an overall mortality rate of 30–35%. V. minor causes a milder form of disease which kills ~1% of its victims. Blindness resulting from corneal ulceration and scarring, and limb deformities due to arthritis and osteomyelitis are less common complications, seen in about 2-5% of cases.Smallpox is believed to have emerged in human populations about 10,000 BC. During the 20th century, it is estimated that smallpox was responsible for 300–500 million deaths. As recently as 1967, the World Health Organization estimated that 15 million people contracted the disease and that two million died in that year. After successful vaccination campaigns throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the WHO certified the eradication of smallpox in 1979. (From the Wikpedia article Smallpox.)

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Recent Publications on Smallpox:
Response surface methodology to determine optimal cytokine responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells after smallpox vaccination. Feasibility, amount of sample aliquots, processing time and cost are...	29th November, 2008	Mayo Vaccine Research Group, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, United	J Immunol Methods. 2008 Nov 24. DOI Direct Link
Detection of human orthopoxvirus infections and differentiation of smallpox virus with real-time PCR. We developed a real-time PCR protocol to detect orthopoxviruses (OPVs)...	26th November, 2008	Department of Virology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki,	J Med Virol. 2009 Jan;81(1):146-52. DOI Direct Link
Immunity from smallpox vaccine persists for decades: a longitudinal study. PURPOSE: The threat of smallpox resulting from bioterrorist action has...	26th November, 2008	Laboratory of Immunology and the Clinical Research Branch, National	Am J Med. 2008 Dec;121(12):1058-64. DOI Direct Link
Eczema vaccinatum resulting from the transmission of vaccinia virus from a smallpox vaccinee: An investigation of potential fomites in the home environment. On March 3, 2007, a 2-year-old boy was hospitalized with eczema...	26th November, 2008	Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases,	Vaccine. 2008 Nov 20. DOI Direct Link
Encephalitis after Secondary Smallpox Vaccination. We describe a case of post-secondary vaccination encephalitis in a...	26th November, 2008	1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt	Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Nov 24. DOI Direct Link
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BioNews Results for Smallpox:
Live oral Shigella vaccine licensed to PATH	News-Medical.Net:  Nov 26 2008 7:02AM Matching: smallpox
Shigella Vaccine Licensed to PATH	Newswise:  Nov 25 2008 3:09AM Matching: smallpox
Bavarian Nordic gets USD 25 mn milestone payment from US authorities for smallpox vaccine data	PharmaBiz:  Nov 21 2008 2:42PM Matching: smallpox
Research and Markets: This Report on Bioinformatics for Vaccinology is Now Available	Pharma Live:  Nov 21 2008 1:58PM Matching: smallpox
Bavarian Nordic receives USD 25 million milestone payment after submission of IMVAMUNE data to the U.S. Health	Bionity.com:  Nov 21 2008 3:38AM Matching: smallpox
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Smallpox Clinical Trials:
Safety, Tolerability, and Immune Response of ACAM3000 Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) Smallpox Vaccine in Adults	Smallpox Intervention: Biological: ACAM3000 MVA Vaccine

Smallpox Patents:
US Patent No.	Title
7410637	Transgenic algae for delivering antigens to an animal
7426040	Chip-scale optical spectrum analyzers with enhanced resolution
7427394	Biodegradable poly(.beta.-amino esters) and uses thereof
7427475	Detection of group B streptococcus
7428045	Raman spectral analysis of pathogens
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Companies working in the area of Smallpox from Bioportfolio's Biocorporate database :
Company Name
Acambis plc Acambis is a biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing and manufacturing vaccines to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Employing some 160 people, it is based in Cambridge, UK, and... www.acambis.com/        View full profile
Cangene Corporation Cangene is a world leader in the development , manufacture, and commercialization of specialty hyperimmune plasma and biotechnology products. Cangene has built two decades of success with the life... www.cangene.com/        View full profile
Chimerix, Inc Chimerix Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company creating and developing orally available medicines from bioactive molecules. Application of Chimerix's proprietary technology enhances oral... www.chimerix-inc.com/        View full profile
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BioPortfolio Ltd. offers e-mail and postal lists for Smallpox scientists - we have details of around 767 individuals working on Smallpox .

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