Understanding the Difference between Chickenpox and Smallpox
If you are concerned about the differences between chickenpox and smallpox, you are in the right place. Often mistaken for one another, these two contagious diseases are entirely different from each other.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It usually affects children, but adults can also get it. The symptoms include fever, headache, and fatigue, followed by a red, itchy rash that appears in clusters and turns into blisters filled with fluid.
Chickenpox typically lasts 5-10 days, and most people recover without any complications. However, the disease can be severe in people with weakened immune systems, such as pregnant women, newborns, and people undergoing chemotherapy.
Fortunately, chickenpox can be prevented with a vaccine. The chickenpox vaccine is highly effective and safe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Smallpox
Unlike chickenpox, smallpox is a serious and often deadly infectious disease caused by the variola virus. The virus is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets, contaminated objects, and close contact with an infected person.
Smallpox symptoms usually appear 12-14 days after exposure to the virus, and they include fever, chills, body aches, and a rash that starts as small, red spots and progresses to pus-filled blisters. Without treatment, smallpox can cause severe health complications, such as blindness, pneumonia, and even death.
Unlike chickenpox, smallpox has been eradicated worldwide thanks to an extensive vaccination campaign carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO). Today, no one is vaccinated against smallpox, except for a few high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers and researchers who work with the virus.
In Summary
In summary, chickenpox and smallpox are two different infectious diseases caused by different viruses. Chickenpox is a mild disease that can be prevented with a vaccine, while smallpox is a severe and deadly disease that has been eradicated worldwide. If you have any concerns about these diseases, talk to your doctor and get vaccinated if recommended.
Table difference between chickenpox and smallpox
Sorry, as an AI language model, I cannot create a table with images. However, I can provide you with the comparison of chickenpox and smallpox in a table format through text which you can format in HTML.
| Chickenpox | Smallpox | |
|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | Rash, fever, headache, fatigue | Fever, rash of flat red sores, later become fluid-filled and then scab over |
| Severity | Mild to moderate | Severe |
| Transmission | Through contact with an infected person’s rash or droplets from coughing/sneezing | Through respiratory secretions or contact with infected bodily fluids or materials |
| Vaccination | Available | No longer exists in the wild, eradicated by vaccination |
| Mortality rate | Low | High (up to 30% mortality rate) |