Symptoms of Smallpox

List of symptoms of Smallpox:

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Smallpox includes the 6 symptoms listed below:

• Flu-like symptoms
• Muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Multiple organ inflammation
• Skin eruptions
• Chickenpox-like skin rash

Note that Smallpox symptoms usually refers to various symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Smallpox signs may refer to those signs only noticable by a doctor.

More ways to research these symptoms: To research other symptoms use the symptom center, or to research causes of more than one symptom in combination, try our multi-symptom search.

Research More About Smallpox

Do I have Smallpox?

• Smallpox: Introduction
• Smallpox: Diagnostic Testing to confirm diagnosis
• Alternative diagnoses and misdiagnosis for Smallpox
• Treatments for Smallpox
• More about Smallpox

Wrongly Diagnosed with Smallpox?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Smallpox includes:

• Chickenpox

• Chickenpox
• Molluscum contagiosum

See the full list of 3 alternative diagnoses for Smallpox

More about symptoms of Smallpox:

More information about symptoms of Smallpox and related conditions:

• Other diseases with similar symptoms and common misdiagnoses
• Tests to determine if these are the symptoms of Smallpox
• Symptoms that may be caused by complications of Smallpox
• Risk factors for Smallpox

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

• Chickenpox-like skin rash - see all causes of Rash
• Flu-like symptoms - see all causes of Flu-like symptoms
• Joint pain - see all causes of Joint pain
• Muscle pain - see all causes of Muscle pain
• Skin eruptions - see all causes of Skin eruptions

Medical Books Online about Smallpox

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Smallpox are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Smallpox.

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Symptoms of Smallpox: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Smallpox.

Monkeypox: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The signs and symptoms of monkeypox are similar to smallpox, but milder. After an incubation period of about 12 days, the patient may report fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, and a general feeling of discomfort and exhaustion. A papular rash begins on the face or other area of the body within 1 to 3 days after onset of the fever. The lesions go through several stages before crusting and falling off. The illness’ duration is 2 to 4 weeks.

In Africa, monkeypox is fatal in 10% of those who contract the disease.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Varicella: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Chickenpox produces distinctive signs and symptoms, notably a pruritic rash. During the prodromal phase, the patient has slight fever, malaise, and anorexia. Within 24 hours, the rash typically begins as crops of small, erythematous macules on the trunk or scalp. It progress to papules and then clear vesicles on an erythematous base (the so-called dewdrop on a rose petal). These become cloudy and break easily; then scabs form.

The rash spreads to the face and over the trunk of the body, then to the limbs, buccal mucosa, axillae, upper respiratory tract, conjunctivae and, occasionally, the genitalia. New vesicles continue to appear for 3 or 4 days, so the rash contains a combination of red papules, vesicles, and scabs in various stages.

Congenital varicella causes hypoplastic deformity and limb scarring; retarded growth; and central nervous system and eye manifestations. In progressive varicella, an immunocompromised patient may have lesions and a high fever for over 7 days.

Severe pruritus with this rash may provoke persistent scratching, which can lead to infection, scarring, impetigo, furuncles, and cellulitis. Rare complications include pneumonia, myocarditis, fulminating encephalitis (Reye's syndrome), bleeding disorders, arthritis, nephritis, hepatitis, and acute myositis.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Variola: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Characteristically, after an incubation period of 10 to 14 days, smallpox caused an abrupt onset of chills (and possible seizures in children), high fever (above 104° F [40° C]), headache, backache, severe malaise, vomiting (especially in children), marked prostration and, occasionally, violent delirium, stupor, or coma. Two days after onset, symptoms became more severe, but by the third day the patient began to feel better.

However, he soon developed a sore throat and cough as well as lesions on the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, and respiratory tract. Within days, skin lesions also appeared, progressing from macular to papular, vesicular, and pustular (pustules were as large as 8.5 mm in diameter). All skin lesions were in the same stage of development. During the pustular stage, the patient's temperature again rose, and early symptoms returned. By day 10, the pustules began to rupture and eventually dried and formed scabs. Symptoms finally subsided about 14 days after onset. Desquamation of the scabs took another 1 to 2 weeks, caused intense pruritus, and commonly left permanently disfiguring scars.

In fatal cases, a diffuse dusky appearance came over the patient's face and upper chest. Death resulted from encephalitic manifestations, extensive bleeding from any or all orifices, or secondary bacterial infections.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Varicella: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Varicella produces distinctive signs and symptoms, notably a pruritic rash. During the prodromal phase, the patient has slight fever, malaise, and anorexia. Within 24 hours, the rash typically begins as crops of small, erythematous macules on the trunk or scalp that progress to papules and then clear vesicles on an erythematous base (the so-called “dewdrop on a rose petal”).

The vesicles become cloudy and break easily; then scabs form. The rash spreads to the face and, rarely, to the extremities. New vesicles continue to appear for 3 to 4 days, so the rash contains a combination of red papules, vesicles, and scabs in various stages. Occasionally, varicella also produces shallow ulcers on mucous membranes of the mouth, conjunctivae, and genitalia.

Congenital varicella causes hypoplastic deformity and scarring of a limb, retarded growth, and central nervous system and eye manifestations. In progressive varicella, an immunocompromised patient will have lesions and a high fever for more than 7 days.

CLINICAL TIP: Severe pruritus with varicella may provoke persistent scratching, which can lead to infection, scarring, impetigo, furuncles, and cellulitis. Rare complications include pneumonia, myocarditis, fulminating encephalitis (Reye’s syndrome), bleeding disorders, arthritis, nephritis, hepatitis, and acute myositis.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Variola: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Characteristically, after an incubation period of 10 to 14 days, variola causes an abrupt onset of chills (and possible seizures in children), high fever (above 104° F [40° C]), headache, backache, severe malaise, vomiting (especially in children), marked prostration and, occasionally, violent delirium, stupor, or coma. Two days after onset, symptoms become more severe, but by the third day the patient begins to feel better.

However, symptoms persist. The patient develops a sore throat and cough as lesions begin to appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, and respiratory tract. Within days, skin lesions appear, progressing from macular to papular, vesicular, and pustular (pustules may be as large as 1/₃'' [8 mm] in diameter). During the pustular stage, the patient’s temperature again rises, and early symptoms return. By day 10, the pustules begin to rupture and eventually dry and form scabs. Symptoms finally subside about 14 days after onset. Desquamation of the scabs takes another 1 to 2 weeks, causing intense pruritus and commonly leaving permanently disfiguring scars.

In fatal cases, a diffuse dusky appearance comes over the patient’s face and upper chest. Death results from encephalitic manifestations, extensive bleeding from any or all orifices, or secondary bacterial infections.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Smallpox as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions

When considering symptoms of Smallpox, it is also important to consider Smallpox as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Smallpox may cause:

• Lymphadenopathy
• Pyrexia
• Rash

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Diagnostic Testing for a Diagnosis of Smallpox
• Research Alternative Diagnoses for Smallpox
• More about Smallpox
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Lesser known silent killer diseases
• Books on signs and symptoms

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Smallpox:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Smallpox. This signs and symptoms information for Smallpox has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Smallpox signs or Smallpox symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Smallpox may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Smallpox symptoms.