How is smallpox diagnosed and what is the treatment?
There is no proven treatment for smallpox, but research to evaluate new treatments is ongoing. Patients with smallpox can benefit from supportive therapy, such as intravenous fluids, medicine to control fever or pain, etc. Antibiotics can be given for any secondary bacterial infections. In persons exposed to smallpox, vaccine given within four days of exposure can lessen the severity of illness or possibly prevent illness altogether. Vaccine against smallpox contains a live virus called vaccinia; it does not contain the smallpox virus.
