Smallpox - Diagnosis



At one time, most doctors could diagnose smallpox simply by examining a patient. The skin lesions had a very characteristic appearance. Doctors also knew what to look for when there was a smallpox epidemic in an area. In modern times, diagnosis could also be made by a blood test. A sample of the patient's blood could be examined under an electron microscope. An electron microscope is a very powerful type of microscope. The variola virus can actually be seen in the blood with this type of microscope.

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