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A History of Smallpox Disease and Why It Relates to Monkeypox

History eradicated smallpox disease, but how does it relate to the current spread of monkeypox disease?

By Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi
Jun 8, 2022 6:00 PMJun 8, 2022 7:40 PM
Monkeypox test
(Credit: Tatiana Buzmakova/Shutterstock)

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On June 6, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel warning regarding monkeypox. The Americas, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa have reported cases of the rare disease, totaling 29 countries.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that transmits from animals, such as primates or rodents, to humans. The disease typically spreads when humans come into contact with wildlife, which can happen when an infected animal is used as a food source. The current outbreak of monkeypox is spreading through human-to-human transmission.

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