General
Description
Virus
Classification
The smallpox
virus, or variola virus, is part of the Poxviridae family, genus
Orthopox. (19:4) Of the many orthopoxviruses
in existence, there are only four that are known to infect humans;
variola (smallpox), monkeypox, vaccinia and cowpox. Variola and
monkeypox typically cause systemic infections, whereas vaccinia
and cowpox typically cause localized infections in human hosts
with normal immune responses. (22:V5:6) (19:4) Humans
are the only natural host for smallpox. (15:141)

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