Smallpox Still Haunts Scientists: Results of a Questionnaire-Based Inquiry on the Views of Health Care and Life Science Experts and Students on Preserving the Remaining Variola Virus Stocks
Table 2
Major reasons given by participants to preserve/not to preserve variola virus.
Main reasons favoring preservation (; 60.6%)
(1) For further studies, if mutants evolve, we need the original strains for comparison
(2) For development of vaccines or antiviral drugs in case of accidental outbreak of the disease
(3) Historical reasons for preservation of the viruses to serve as a study material for the future generations
(4) There are many dangerous viruses which can also be misused. Therefore there is no harm in preserving the last two stocks of smallpox
Main reasons against preservation (; 36.4%)
(1) Fear of misuse and bioterrorism
(2) Genetically modified or lab-bred strains will be difficult to curtail if there is an outbreak due to accidental or deliberate exposure to the stock virus
(3) Storage is unnecessary without any immediate application of the viruses
(4) Since the full genome of the smallpox is available, live stocks are not needed
(5) Other similar viruses which are available can be used for development of drugs against smallpox; hence live smallpox viruses need not be preserved
