BIBLIOGRAHPY:


World Health Organisation . (2009). Smallpox Outbreak Threat.Available: www,WHO.int. Last accessed 15/4.2013.

James. B. Tucker. (2013). Smallpox destruction debate. Available: www,arms control.org/act/2009. Last accessed 15/4/2012.

Images.. Google images. accessed on 15/4/2013

Betsy Mckey. (2011). Small destruction deadline gets delayed. The wall street journal. 11 (1), 2.

Edward Hammond . (2011). Smallpox virus stocks at the 64th WHA: Implementing the conclusions of the major review. TWN. 11 (1), 11.

Conclusion

After all information I have looked at the Small pox stocks should be destroyed it may be difficult to regulate the destruction of all  stocks but, as all 45 DNA strands have been identified it can be recreated, as an improved vaccine (ACAM 2000) has been licensed by the US they have stock piles to treat over 300 million Americans. CMX-001 & ST-246 was manufactured to target the different stages of small pox cycle at the incubation period, the small pox virus is unable to be sustained in primates unless given by intravenous drip to see if the virus closely resembles that of the human strain. To move forward we there must be some kind of resolution to the destruction of the vaccine, I have found that there is no reason to keep remaining stocks of the virus, in addition if it is to be destroyed there must be checks and regular inspections by the WHO of all stocks of infectious disease so no stocks can be illegally held and used as a bio-weapon of mass destruction. Further more we have all the knowledge of DNA structure and anti-viral medications, on hand if there is a further outbreak following a bio-weapon attack.


commons.wikimedia.org -

Verification of the destruction of stocks:

If we are to destroy all remaining stocks we must first be able to verify that they have been destroyed, if all stocks where destroyed there is no guarantee that stocks where not taken before destruction or that Russia ir other countries are holding on to undeclared stocks of the virus. For there to be an adequate resolution the felicities that hold stock piles must be OK with regular checks of their facilities to ensure that testing was not being carried out and that their was no longer stock piles left of the virus. This should be done by the WHO at any time under a NO refusal policy. To ensure the safety of others world wide........

   

Smallpox Outbreak Threat

Now that infectious disease has had its DNA mapped it is possible to recreate the virus. Although as a bio weapon it could be synthesized to make other infectious diseases such as small pox, monkey pox, in an natural environment these do not spread rapidly from person to person. If modifications are applied it could create something new and very dangerous. In 1990 the WHO recommended the destruction of all know stocks of the Small pox virus.

 By December 1993 after all DNA strains where identified for all relevant strains, this was delayed after not all scientific evidence was yet researched. The two countries approved by the WHO Russia and the US need to understand that the stocks held are the sole property of there's. If they are insistent on holding on to stock piles other countries may take the stance of if they can so can we, and demand that they are allowed to also research the Small pox virus. This could lead to bio-weapons being made and used world wide and a pandemic is possible. Overall the greater the number of scientists that handle the virus there is more of a possibility of an accident occurring.

 http://twistedsifter.com

Smallpox should it be destroyed ?

I have been asked for my last assignment to look at the debate surrounding the destruction of smallpox and if we should keep last remaining stocks ? or should it be destroyed ?

"One of the longest debates and most continuous internationally has been surrounding the destruction of the Smallpox (Variola) virus, which are being held at the WHO authorized repositories in Russia and the USA. Although Smallpox has been eradicated, there was concerns that a few countries still held undeclared stocks of the virus. An outbreask would cause a global health emergency. In 1999 the WHO approved research to developed and improve medical defences." Jonathan B. Tucker. (2011). smallpox destruction debate could a grand bargain settle the issue?. Arms Control association. n.I (1), 9.


I have looked at a number of resources surrounding the debate I have focused my assignment on Smallpox the destruction debate: could a grand bargain settle the issue? by Jonathan B. Tucker.  2009. the article itself looks at keeping stocks of the virus for future research but just limiting down the number of strains that are being held in the two facilities. The article covers all basis for a medium between the two groups anti-destruction and pro-destruction. From the information I have looked at stocks should be destroyed. Although Smallpox was eradicated more than 30 years ago the debate on if we should keep the stocks has been an ongoing political debate. In 2011 Countries such as the "U.S., Russia and more than two dozen other countries in the developed and developing world had supported the resolution to to keep the stocks of the deadly virus for at least five years". (Betsy McKay. (2011). Smallpox-destruction gets delayed. The wall street journal. 16 (1), 12.). Although leaders of the W.H.A (World Health Assembly) said the destruction would be irreversible advances in biotechnology in the 1980's saw the development of DNA synthesizers. "capable of making customized strands of genetic material from of the shelf chemicals". (Jonathan B. Tucker. (2011). smallpox destruction debate could a grand bargain settle the issue?. Arms Control association. 16 (1), 9.). We can create the Smallpox virus from the genetic code that researchers have obtained through years of research into the the eradication of Smallpox. So there is no reason to keep stocks that are being obtained.

"The entire DNA sequences of 45 different strains of the smallpox virus have been determined, as well as the partial DNA sequences of more than 20 additional strains. This sequencing effort has revealed little genetic variation among different strains of the smallpox virus, suggesting that a drug or vaccine that is effective against one strain should work against them all.".

Jonathan B. Tucker. (2011). smallpox destruction debate could a grand bargain settle the issue?. Arms Control association. 16 (1), 9.

 










 http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/our_work/biological-threats-and-epidemics/fact_sheets/smallpox_images.html

Infectious diseases Introduction

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I am doing this blogg in relation to my studies, as part of my work i will be making regular subbmission,as my tutor has asked us to design and create our bloggs around infectious diseases. I am doing this to progress in health care.