Smallpox
Exams and Tests
A suspected first case of smallpox is considered an international health emergency. Specialized laboratory testing is necessary to confirm a suspected smallpox infection.
- Specially trained and vaccinated health professionals take fluid samples from the person's mouth or from the suspected smallpox lesions.
- The sealed samples are shipped to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or another designated laboratory that is equipped to handle the variola virus.
In the laboratory, variola virus can be quickly identified using a combination of:
- An electron microscope to examine the appearance of the virus.
- Viral culture.
- Various tests to identify the virus's genetic material, or DNA.
If a smallpox (variola) outbreak is already documented, a physical exam and history of symptoms and exposure may be sufficient for your doctor to diagnose smallpox.
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| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: January 31, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology | |
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