Smallpox: Treatment Overview
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Treatment Overview
There is no cure for smallpox. After symptoms start, treatment consists of supportive medical care, including giving the person fluids to prevent dehydration and medicines to control pain and fever. New treatments, such as medicines that work well for other viral diseases, may also be tried.
Isolating the person until all the scabs have fallen off—about 3 to 4 weeks after the rash first appears—is necessary to prevent spreading the infection to others.
| Last updated: | January 31, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Reviewed By: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC |
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