ScienceAugust 1, 2026
variola
vuh-RY-uh-luh
Definition
The specific virus that causes the infectious, often fatal disease known as smallpox.
Etymology
The word comes from the New Latin 'variola', derived from the Latin 'varius', meaning 'spotted' or 'variegated', a reference to the characteristic skin pustules the disease causes.
In the news
The article identifies variola as the pathogen responsible for the smallpox epidemic that devastated indigenous populations during the Spanish colonial period. It highlights how analyzing this virus's genome helps researchers understand its historical evolution.
Smallpox DNA found in Chilean mummies from the Spanish conquest era
Read the full article ↗vijesti.me