Berche P
INSERM U411, Faculté de Médecine Necker-Enfants Malades, 156 Rue de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris, France.
Trends Microbiol. 2001 Jan;9(1):15-8. doi: 10.1016/s0966-842x(00)01855-2.
Smallpox (variola) was a devastating disease with a high case-fatality rate. Although the disease was eradicated in 1977, the remaining stocks of smallpox virus constitute one of the most dangerous threats to humanity. The smallpox virus is highly specific for humans and non-pathogenic in animals. There is no antiviral treatment and a vaccine is active only if administered in the first four days post-exposure. Smallpox virus represents a potential biological weapon that could be used by terrorists, and the destruction of stocks raises political, social, scientific and ethical issues.
天花（痘苗病毒）是一种具有高病死率的毁灭性疾病。尽管该疾病于1977年被根除，但剩余的天花病毒储备仍是对人类最危险的威胁之一。天花病毒对人类具有高度特异性，对动物无致病性。目前没有抗病毒治疗方法，且疫苗仅在接触后前四天内接种才有效。天花病毒是一种可能被恐怖分子利用的潜在生物武器，销毁储备引发了政治、社会、科学和伦理问题。
