What are the symptoms of smallpox and how is it spread?
The early symptoms include high fever, fatigue, headache and back pain. The rash usually follows in 2-3 days, starting with flat, red sores that fill with pus, become crusted over and form scabs that eventually fall off. Most often, smallpox is spread from one person to another by face-to-face contact. Contaminated clothing or bed linens can also spread the virus.
