MCQ IN MEDICINE

Detailed explanation-1: -Death. While an infection of the variola minor virus would lead to death with a probability of less than one percent, the case fatality rate of the variola major virus has been estimated to be around 30 percent. The specific way a smallpox infection would lead to a patient’s death remains unclear.

Detailed explanation-2: -Two forms of the disease are recognized, variola minor with a mortality rate of approximately 1%, and the more common variola major with a mortality rate of 30%. Between 65–80% of survivors are marked with deep pitted scars (pockmarks), most prominent on the face.

Detailed explanation-3: -Before 1980, around 30% of people with smallpox died from the disease. Most people who survived smallpox had severe scarring after scabs from the blisters fell off. Smallpox also caused blindness when ulcers formed on the eyes.

Detailed explanation-4: -Historically, the vaccine has been effective in preventing smallpox infection in 95% of those vaccinated. In addition, the vaccine was proven to prevent or substantially lessen infection when given within a few days after a person was exposed to the variola virus.

Detailed explanation-5: -The virus also caused potentially lethal interstitial pneumonitis as well as tubulointerstitial nephritis. Conclusions: The cytopathic effects of smallpox cause death.