Smallpox Vaccine

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it?

• The smallpox vaccine is a live virus vaccine. It is given to help your body make antibodies against smallpox infection. Antibodies are special cells in your body that fight infection.
  
  
• Routine vaccination for smallpox has not been done in the United States since 1972. Vaccinations for smallpox were very effective in removing this disease from the world.
  
  
• There are millions of doses of the smallpox vaccine in the U.S. Research shows that the vaccine could be diluted (die-LOO-tid) (1 dose divided into many) and still work well.

Should I be vaccinated against smallpox? The smallpox vaccine is not recommended and not available to the general public at this time.

Are there people who get the smallpox vaccination?

• People who work directly with the smallpox virus in the laboratory should be vaccinated.
  
  
• People who are exposed to smallpox may get vaccinated up to 4 days after the exposure. This may help prevent the smallpox infection or make it less serious.

Who should not get the vaccine?

• People with a history of eczema. Eczema (eg-zuh-muh) is a skin disease that causes redness and irritation to different areas of the body. The skin can be very dry and split open. There also may be blisters that break open and then crust over.
  
  
• Patients with immune system problems such as HIV.
  
  
• Cancer patients currently having chemotherapy.
  
  
• Pregnant women.
  
  
• People who have had an allergic reaction to the vaccine.
  
  
• People with heart disease.

How is the vaccine given? The vaccine is given with a special needle. The needle punctures the skin 15 times in a small circle pattern on your upper arm. A week after getting the vaccine, your caregiver will check it for a reaction. The reaction is a blister that forms, fills with fluid, and then scabs over. This shows that your body is making antibodies against smallpox. You will have a scar from the vaccination. This is called a "take".

Are there side effects from getting the vaccine?

• A healthy person with no immune system problems will have a response to the vaccination. This may include the following:
  
  
  • A blister at the vaccination site. The blister fills with pus and then gets larger. It then dries and a scab forms. The scab falls off and leaves a scar.
    
    
  • You may get a fever. Children have a fever more often than adults.
    
    
  • You may accidentally get some of the virus from the vaccination site on other parts of your body. These may be your face, eyes, nose, mouth, genital area or rectum. Most of these areas will heal without treatment. Special medicine may be used if you get infection in your eyes.
    
    
  • You may have some redness or swelling at the vaccination site. This may happen 10 days after the vaccination. There is usually no fever and the rash goes away in 2-4 days.
  
  
• Some healthy patients and others that have certain medical problems may have more side effects. These reactions are uncommon:
  
  
  • Patients with eczema or other skin problems may have a severe reaction to the vaccine. They may get blisters where they have eczema. This reaction is usually mild, but can be serious. It usually happens in someone who has been vaccinated for the first time.
    
    
  • Some patients may have a red rash all over their body from the vaccine. The rash usually goes away without problems. It may be serious for people who have problems with their immune systems or already sick.
    
    
  • Another side effect is when the skin and tissue under the vaccination dies. The virus can spread to other parts of your body. It is very serious and you may die from this side effect.
    
    
  • The most serious side effect is an infection in the brain from the vaccine.

Is the vaccination I received as a child still working? It is not known how long the vaccination protects you. It may be effective for years, but gradually decreases over time.

Where can I get more information about the smallpox vaccine?

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  1600 Clifton Road
  Atlanta, GA 30333
  Phone: 1-404-6393311
  Phone: 1-800-3113435
  Web Address: http://www.cdc.gov
  

• National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases
  NIAID Office of Communications & Public Liaison
  6610 Rockledge Drive, MSC 6612
  Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6612
  Phone: 1-301-496-5717
  Web Address: www3.niaid.nih.gov
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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