The disease caused enormous suffering and death around the world for centuries.
The development and widespread use of vaccination eventually transformed the situation.
In 1980, the World Health Organization officially declared smallpox eradicated, making it the first human disease to be eradicated through deliberate public-health efforts.
That makes the little scar on someone’s arm more than just an unusual physical mark.
For many people, it represents a moment in medical history.
Is It a Smallpox Scar or a BCG Scar?
This is where things can become confusing.
Another vaccine can also leave a noticeable scar: BCG, which is used to protect against tuberculosis.
The two scars can look somewhat similar, but they aren’t necessarily identical.
BCG scars are often raised or irregular, while the traditional smallpox vaccination scar is characteristically circular and depressed. The location can also provide a clue, although scar appearance alone isn’t enough to reliably identify which vaccine caused it.
If you’re trying to determine your own vaccination history, old medical records are much more reliable than judging the scar alone.
Why Don’t Modern Vaccines Usually Leave Marks Like This?
Vaccination techniques have changed considerably.
The smallpox vaccine’s delivery method involved multiple punctures that produced a visible skin reaction.
