What virus or bacteria causes smallpox?
Before smallpox was eradicated, it was a serious infectious disease caused by the variola virus. It was contagious—meaning, it spread from one person to another. People who had smallpox had a fever and a distinctive, progressive skin rash.
What type of biological agent is smallpox?
The CDC has classified 6 biological agents as Category A. They are listed below. Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and sometimes fatal infectious disease.
Is smallpox caused by fungus?
Smallpox is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus.
Is polio a virus or a bacteria?
Polio is a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis. The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person.
Is chickenpox a virus or a bacteria?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a type of herpes virus. It is often a mild illness, characterized by an itchy rash on the face, scalp and trunk with pink spots and tiny fluid-filled blisters that dry and become scabs four to five days later.
What are the 3 biological agents?
Biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their associated toxins.
What are examples of biological agents?
Biological agents are widely found in the natural environment and as a result found in many work sectors. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi (including yeasts and moulds) and internal human parasites (endoparasites). The majority of these agents are harmless however some may have potential to cause ill health.
What caused smallpox virus?
Smallpox is caused by infection with the variola virus. The virus can be transmitted: Directly from person to person. Direct transmission of the virus requires fairly prolonged face-to-face contact.
Which virus causes chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It can cause an itchy, blister-like rash. The rash first appears on the chest, back, and face, and then spreads over the entire body, causing between 250 and 500 itchy blisters.
What animal did polio come from?
The discovery by Karl Landsteiner and Erwin Popper in 1908 that polio was caused by a virus, a discovery made by inoculating macaque monkeys with an extract of nervous tissue from polio victims that was shown to be free of other infectious agents.
Does polio still exist?
Polio does still exist, although polio cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988, from an estimated more than 350 000 cases to 22 reported cases in 2017. This reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease.
Is diphtheria a virus?
Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin (poison). It is the toxin that can cause people to get very sick. Diphtheria bacteria spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing.