Under modern classification, poxviruses and their family, Poxviridae, are a genomically linked lineage of large, complex, dual-stranded DNA viruses that replicate and assemble entirely in the cytoplasm, completely independent of their host’s nucleus. Historically this family is infamous for the vari...

The last endemic case of smallpox occurred in 1977, total eradication was confirmed in 1980, and the official account of the disease and its eradication has appeared. Consequently, smallpox is not discussed below. However, its importance should not be forgotten. It helped to shape history, and it ma...

The word “pox” indicated, during the late 15th century, a disease characterized by eruptive sores. When an outbreak of syphilis began in Europe during that time, it was called by many names, including the French term “la grosse verole” (“the great pox”), to distinguish it from smallpox, which was te...

The word "pox" indicated, during the late 15th century, a disease characterized by eruptive sores. When an outbreak of syphilis began in Europe during that time, it was called by many names, including the French term "la grosse verole" ("the great pox"), to distinguish it from smallpox, which was te...