| >2000 B.C.
|
Smallpox appears in humans in Africa and the Far East |
| 1157 B.C.
|
Pharaoh Ramses V dies of smallpox |
| 910 A.D.
|
Clinical disease first described (by Rhazes) |
| 1096–1291 |
Crusaders accelerate smallpox importation to Europe |
| 1507–1530 |
Aztec, Mayan, and Inca empires decimated by smallpox |
| 1400–1800 |
European fatalities alone exceed 500 million/century |
| 1763 |
First intentional use as a bioweapon (against Native Americans) |
| 1798 |
Vaccination introduced by Jenner |
| 1965 |
WHO initiates intensified worldwide eradication program |
| 1977 |
Last natural case of smallpox (in Somalia) |
| 1978 |
Last case of smallpox in humans (lab accident in the UK) |
| 1980 |
WHO certifies worldwide eradication of smallpox |
| 1983 |
All known variola stocks transfered to the two certified WHO collaborating centers (US and Russia) |
| 1993 |
Variola DNA genome sequence published |
| 1996 |
World Health Assembly (WHA) recommends variola destruction (in 1999) |
| 1999 |
WHA recommends postponing destruction to permit further research with live variola virus |
| 1999 |
First IOM report on research needs for live variola virus |
| 1999 |
Biohazard published (K. Alibeck) |
| 2001 |
US announces postponement of variola destruction |
| 2009 |
Second IOM Report on research needs for live variola virus |
| 2011 |
WHA vote on destruction of the declared live variola virus stocks (expected) |
