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A member asked:

If smallpox only affected humans, where did the first person contract it from? is the virus related to other "pox"? rickettsial, cow, chicken?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Virus: If they're all named with the same genus because they are related. Chicken pox is a herpesvirus; the rule only works with the latin names. These viruses mutate and gene-swap so that's how they can 'jump species' and change from being zoonotic to affecting humans.

Dr Hodge agreed

Answered 1/10/2015

4.6k views

Thank

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