Pronunciation: [smˈɔːl pˈɒks] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "small pox" is phonetically written as /ˈsmɔːl pɑːks/. The word "small" is spelled with the letter "s" followed by the letters "m," "a," "ll," representing the "l" sound, and ending with the letter "l." The word "pox" is spelled with the letter "p," followed by the letters "o" and "x," representing the "ks" sound. Small pox is an infectious disease caused by a virus that can be prevented by vaccination.
Smallpox is an infectious and highly contagious viral disease caused by the variola virus. It is characterized by the presence of a distinctive rash that manifests as raised, fluid-filled blisters on the skin, which eventually form crusts and leave marks upon healing. Smallpox is notorious for its high mortality rate, historically responsible for numerous epidemics and pandemics around the world.
The transmission of smallpox occurs via respiratory droplets either through direct contact with an infected individual or indirectly through contaminated objects such as clothing or bedding. The virus enters the body through the respiratory tract, replicates in the lymph nodes, and then spreads to other organs, leading to the characteristic symptoms.
Symptoms of smallpox typically include high fever, severe headache, fatigue, and muscle pain, followed by the appearance of the rash after two to three days. Smallpox has two clinical forms: variola major, which is severe and often fatal, and variola minor, which is milder and has a lower mortality rate.
Smallpox has plagued humanity for centuries, causing widespread suffering and death. However, due to the advent of a highly effective vaccine, smallpox was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980, making it the first disease to be eradicated by human effort. Today, smallpox only exists in laboratories under strict containment conditions, providing a lasting triumph in the history of public health.
The word smallpox is derived from the Old English word smael poccas, which literally means small pustules. The term refers to the characteristic symptom of the disease, which is the development of pustules on the skin. The word smael in Old English meant small, and poccas referred to pustules or blisters. Over time, the term smael poccas transformed into smallpockes and eventually into smallpox.
