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As part of the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health’s plan to prepare for the unlikely, but possible occurrence of smallpox disease in West Virginia, smallpox vaccinations will be offered starting in February to strategic teams of private and public health care workers. Because of the protection smallpox vaccinations will give these individuals, they could more rapidly and safely be called upon to initiate the first response to a smallpox threat if one were to occur.

Working with local health departments and community hospitals, officials from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health, will provide training in late January for the regional vaccination teams involved in this program.

"This voluntary vaccination program will strengthen West Virginia’s readiness to address a smallpox attack, if one were to occur. Although there is currently no evidence of an immediate threat, being ready is one of the best forms of defense," said, Cathy Slemp, M.D., M.P.H., acting state health officer. "Vaccinating key personnel before a bio-terrorist attack is an important step in the state’s preparedness."

Smallpox is a severe viral infection that was eradicated from the world in 1977 after a successful vaccination campaign by the World Health Organization. Smallpox can be prevented with smallpox vaccination; without vaccination, one out of every three people who gets smallpox will likely die.

Routine smallpox vaccinations ended in the United States in 1972. In most parts of the world, smallpox vaccinations ended by 1980. It is not known whether or to what extent people previously vaccinated years ago would be protected from infection or serious illness. Those participating in the voluntary vaccination program who were previously vaccinated will be re-vaccinated.

Smallpox vaccination is not without risk. About 1 in 1,000 people may have serious side effects. The most serious range from a severe skin rash that can occur when people with eczema get the vaccine to failure of the vaccine site to heal, leading to a spread of lesions through the body. (Individuals with suppressed immune systems are more susceptible to this adverse effect). One in a million people may die as a result of the vaccine.

Workers with any of the following health conditions, or living with someone with any of these conditions, should not get vaccinated unless there is a smallpox outbreak:

Weakened immune systems (e.g., persons with HIV infection, cancers, organ transplants, people on chemotherapy or taking steroids).

A history of having the skin diseases eczema or atopic dermatitis.

Women who are breast feeding, anyone who is ill at the time of vaccination and anyone with allergies to one of the ingredients in the vaccine (polymyxin B, streptomycin, chlortetracycline, neomycin and phenol) should not get the smallpox vaccine.

If a smallpox outbreak were to occur and an individual were exposed to the disease, the reasons not to have the vaccination would change because the risk of the vaccine would be outweighed by the risk of serious illness from smallpox. If needed in an actual outbreak, there is currently enough smallpox vaccine for the entire United States population.