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KMID : 1143420200130080412
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Public Health Weekly Report
2020 Volume.13 No. 8 p.412 ~ p.419
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Smallpox and Differential Diagnosis
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Choi Myung-Min
Park Deok-Bum
Park Ok-Kyu
Kang Byung-Hak
Rhie Gi-Eun
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Abstract
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This study introduced the need to develop the differential diagnosis of smallpox. Smallpox, a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the variola virus, was eradicated worldwide through the World Health Organization’s (WHO) smallpox eradication program. Apart from two research laboratories in Russia and America that store small quantities, the variola virus has all but been destroyed. However, the variola virus poses a high-risk to national security and public health because it could potentially be used in a bioterrorist attack. The variola virus belongs to the genus Orthopoxviridae and has clinical characteristics similar to those caused by the monkeypox, cowpox and vaccinia virus. In addition, the chickenpox has symptoms that are almost identical to smallpox, making it difficult to distinguish them by their clinical characteristics alone. These features limit rapid response and accurate diagnosis in the event of a suspected smallpox bioterrorist attack. To solve these challenges, laboratory differential diagnosis is essential to identify pathogens with similar characteristics to the variola virus. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) is working on the development of diagnostic methods for smallpox, monkey cowpox, vaccinia and chickenpox.
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KEYWORD
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smallpox, variola virus, differential diagnosis
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