Smallpox vaccines for biodefense: need and feasibility

Smallpox, eradicated as a cause of natural disease through an intensive global effort in the later part of the 20th Century, has resurfaced as a possible agent of bioterrorism. For this reason, there is renewed interest in smallpox vaccines. Live vaccinia virus, an orthopoxvirus related to smallpox, has a long and successful clinical track record as an effective smallpox vaccine; however, its use is associated with uncommon yet serious adverse events. This has led to a surge of recent research into newer-generation smallpox vaccines with improved safety profiles and retained efficacy. This article will review the history of smallpox vaccines, assess the status of newer-generation vaccines and examine the overall risk-versus-benefit profile of smallpox vaccination.