Smallpox medical therapy: Difference between revisions

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==Medical Therapy==
==Medical Therapy==
Currently, there is no cure for small pox. The main for of therapy is to keep the patient comfortable throughout infection. It is possible for the patient to make a full and healthy recovery because the mortality rate is approximately 30%. Many times a patient will receive [[IV]] fluids to remain hydrated. [[Medications]] that treat symptoms such as [[fever]] can be used. It is also likely that the patient will be in a great deal of pain, therefore pain killers are a part of the typical treatment. Some patients with smallpox develop secondary bacterial [[infections]]. [[Antibiotics]] for these secondary infections can be prescribed as well. Good nursing care will be very beneficial to the patients physical and mental well being.
So far none of the antiviral drugs have been proven effective against the smallpox virus. The investigation for a suitable drug has been impaired by:<ref name="MooreSeward2006">{{cite journal|last1=Moore|first1=Zack S|last2=Seward|first2=Jane F|last3=Lane|first3=J Michael|title=Smallpox|journal=The Lancet|volume=367|issue=9508|year=2006|pages=425–435|issn=01406736|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68143-9}}</ref><ref name="pmid12615302">{{cite journal| author=Smee DF, Sidwell RW| title=A review of compounds exhibiting anti-orthopoxvirus activity in animal models. | journal=Antiviral Res | year= 2003 | volume= 57 | issue= 1-2 | pages= 41-52 | pmid=12615302 | doi= | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=12615302  }} </ref>
 
* Absence of natural disease
* Difficulty in finding an animal host
* Reserved access to the [[virus]]
 
The main form of treatment is to keep the patient comfortable throughout infection and prevent concomitant infections. This can be achieved by:
* [[IV]] fluids for hydration
* Antibiotics for concomitant bacterial infections
* Antiviral drugs for concomitant viral infections
* Antipyretics to manage the fever
* Analgesic drugs to manage the pain


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 02:47, 11 July 2014

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]

Overview

There is no antiviral treatment for smallpox. In case of disease, it is only possible to manage the wellbeing of the patient, hydrate and administer certain drugs to treat concomitant bacterial and/or viral infections.

Medical Therapy

So far none of the antiviral drugs have been proven effective against the smallpox virus. The investigation for a suitable drug has been impaired by:[1][2]

  • Absence of natural disease
  • Difficulty in finding an animal host
  • Reserved access to the virus

The main form of treatment is to keep the patient comfortable throughout infection and prevent concomitant infections. This can be achieved by:

  • IV fluids for hydration
  • Antibiotics for concomitant bacterial infections
  • Antiviral drugs for concomitant viral infections
  • Antipyretics to manage the fever
  • Analgesic drugs to manage the pain

References

  1. Moore, Zack S; Seward, Jane F; Lane, J Michael (2006). "Smallpox". The Lancet. 367 (9508): 425–435. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68143-9. ISSN 0140-6736.
  2. Smee DF, Sidwell RW (2003). "A review of compounds exhibiting anti-orthopoxvirus activity in animal models". Antiviral Res. 57 (1–2): 41–52. PMID 12615302.

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