Smallpox viruses. Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of variola viruses, the cause of smallpox. The virus consists of genetic material (g

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Smallpox viruses. Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of variola viruses, the cause of smallpox. The virus consists of genetic material (green), DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), enclosed by a protein capsid (coat, orange). Variola is the most virulent member of the orthopoxvirus group. It is specific to humans, having no other animal hosts. Infection with variola causes a high temperature and skin spots that develop into scarring pustules. It is transmitted by respiratory droplets or by the pus. Smallpox was eradicated in the 1970's by a global vaccination programme. Isolated cultures of the virus are still kept in laboratories for research purposes. Magnification: x 79250 when printed 10 cm wide.

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Size: 3173px × 3358px
Photo credit: © EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: acid, biological, biology, capsid, coat, coloured, condition, deoxyribonucleic, disease, disorder, dna, electron, eradicated, false-colour, false-coloured, infectious, micrograph, microscope, orthopoxviridiae, orthopoxvirus, particle, particles, pathogen, pathogenic, protein, smallpox, tem, transmission, variola, viral, virology, virus, viruses