An Overview of Treatments for Smallpox
There are currently no proven treatments that can kill the
smallpox virus. Therefore, treatments for smallpox focus on providing relief of
smallpox symptoms as the body fights the smallpox virus. This is called supportive care.
Supportive Care for Smallpox
Supportive care as treatment for smallpox can include:
- Intravenous (IV) fluids
- Medications to control fever or pain
- Antibiotics to prevent secondary infections from bacteria
- Good nursing care.
Also, if an infected person gets the smallpox vaccine within 4 days after exposure to the virus, it may lessen the severity of smallpox or even prevent it.
Outcome Following Treatments for Smallpox
The majority of people with smallpox recover, but death may occur in up to 30 percent of cases. Those who do recover from smallpox are often left with disfiguring scars over large areas of their body, especially their face. Some are left blind.
Researching Treatments for Smallpox
Research to evaluate new antiviral agents for the treatment of smallpox is ongoing. Early results from laboratory studies suggest that the drug cidofovir (Vistide
®) may fight against the smallpox virus.
Smallpox research scientists are doing studies with animals to better understand the drug's ability to treat smallpox.
In addition, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has applied to the FDA to use the
antiviral drug cidofovir as an experimental treatment for smallpox in the event of a bioterrorist-initiated re-emergence of smallpox.
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