£72.99
Smallpox is one of mankind's worst scourges, caused by an airborne virus with a 30% fatality rate. Known since ancient times, the disease gradually spread throughout the world as a result of colonial expansion and the slave trade. The pandemic was still responsible for nearly 300 million deaths in the 20th century. The discovery of vaccinia led to the eradication of smallpox in 1980 after a worldwide vaccination campaign. Recent advances in ancient DNA technology have allowed the historical record to be completed, revealing a surprising genetic flexibility of the…
Smallpox, a scourge with a 30% fatality rate, killed 300 million in the 20th century before its eradication in 1980. But the threat remains, from viruses stored in labs to new epidemics like monkeypox, providing a unique view of the life and death of a plague.
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