Is the smallpox virus, variola, that causes smallpox still around?
• Although smallpox disease has been eradicated, two countries still keep smallpox virus (variola) stocks. Two laboratories hold stocks of smallpox virus (variola). These are the WHO Collaborating Centres in Atlanta, USA and Koltsovo, Russian Federation. • Are some people still receiving the smallpox vaccination today? • Yes. Vaccinia vaccine is recommended for laboratory workers who directly handle cultures, animals contaminated or infected with, nonhighly attenuated vaccinia virus, recombinant vaccinia viruses derived from nonhighly attenuated vaccinia strains, or other orthopoxviruses that infect humans. These would include monkeypox, cowpox, vaccinia, and variola. Other health-care workers, such as physicians and nurses whose contact with nonhighly attenuated vaccinia viruses is limited to contaminated materials such as medical dressings but who adhere to appropriate infection control measures, are at lower risk for accidental infection than laboratory workers. However, because a t
