Smallpox in the Posteradication Era

Friday, 20th of May 2016

Smallpox in the posteradication era

Weekly epidemiological record

20 MAY 2016, 91th YEAR

This number of the WER is devoted entirely to the issues surrounding smallpox in the post-eradication era, a subject which has taken on more importance in the light of possible use of the virus -- which is not very well suited as a biological warfare agent – in bioterrorism. Arguments for and against retaining stocks of the virus in the US and Russia are reviewed. So, too, are vaccination policy and vaccine development issues.

Excerpt below; full text is at http://www.who.int/wer/2016/wer9120.pdf

“Regardless of when the stocks of variola virus at the 2 global repositories are destroyed, preparedness to deal with any kind of smallpox event – whether accidental release, natural re-emergency or malicious introduction – requires global and national attention.”