Kathe - smallpox vaccine doesn't contain smallpox virus

[Guest guest]

Kathe,

Not to worry, the smallpox vaccine does not contain the smallpox virus.

It is made from the vaccinia virus (more commonly called the cowpox

virus). You can indeed get sick from being exposed to someone who has

had the vaccination, but you won't contract smallpox that way, you'll be

infected with cowpox.

You can check your upper left arm on the outside for a scar about the

size of a dime. Many people (including me) were given the smallpox

vaccine in that area. It leaves a very distinctive scar.

I think the whole thing is crazy. Saddam Hussein must be laughing pretty

hard.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/facts.asp

Re: [ ] Heidi

> Heidi:

>

> Interesting article. What worries me is the chance of

> my getting small pox from people who have had the

> immunization and are experiencing a mild form of the

> disease because of that. Does anyone know if they

> would be able to spread the disease to someone else?

> With our damaged immune systems, it's hard enough to

> try and avoid colds, let alone anything worse. I am

> sure that I had an immunization way, way back when I

> was younger, I am 48 now, but since my mom has died I

> can't really know that for sure. This whole thing

> seems too reactionary to me anyway - but this is a

> scary world we are living in with these types of

> biological war threats - Heidi, what do you think

> about it all from your point of view as non-American?

>

>

> Kathe in CA