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Since the smallpox vaccine contains a live virus, vaccinia, can this virus spread to other persons?

April 26, 2017live persons smallpox spread vaccine vaccinia virus

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Since the smallpox vaccine contains a live virus, vaccinia, can this virus spread to other persons?

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Yes. The virus in the smallpox vaccine, the vaccinia virus, can be found at the site of the vaccination until the scab falls off (which usually takes about 3 weeks). Because the vaccine site contains a live virus, vaccinia virus can spread to other people and even to other parts of the body far from the vaccine site. This can be prevented by not touching the vaccine site and by proper care of the vaccine site, including covering the site with the recommended dressing, carefully washing your hands after touching the site or the dressing, and by disposing of used dressing materials in sealed plastic (zip-locked) bags when at home and in the infectious waste containers (red bags) at work.