Variola virus archives: a new century, a new approach

Eradication of smallpox was the signature public health achievement of the 20th century—the result of relentless collective action by the global community. Although the disease is long gone, variola virus, which causes smallpox, still exists in two WHO-approved laboratories. 35 years after eradication of smallpox and following immense progress on development of medical countermeasures, destruction of variola virus once more returns to the World Health Assembly (WHA) agenda in May, 2014 (read more)