Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Vaccinia Virus Infection & Temporal Analysis of Virus Gene Expression: Part 2
Published on: April 10, 2009
Poxvirus Epidemiology
1Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. rhu5@cdc.gov.
Abstract:
Illnesses caused by poxviruses have plagued humanity for millennia. The most notable are caused by viruses comprising the orthopoxvirus genus. Smallpox (caused by Variola virus) became the first eradicated disease in 1980. Devotion to smallpox eradication required significant orthopoxvirus research and discovery including vaccine and medical countermeasure development. Here we describe historical and current poxvirus epidemiology, with particular emphasis on orthopoxviruses including Monkeypox virus and Vaccinia virus.
Related Concept Videos
Causality in Epidemiology
Introduction to Epidemiology
Principles of Disease Surveillance
Viral Recombination
Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
Steps in Outbreak Investigation

