What transmission method is associated with smallpox?

Smallpox is primarily transmitted through inhalation. The virus responsible for smallpox, variola, spreads from person to person in respiratory droplets when an infected individual coughs or sneezes. This mode of transmission is particularly effective, as the virus can remain suspended in the air for a short period, allowing it to infect others who are in the same vicinity.

Inhalation is a critical route of transmission for diseases that are highly contagious like smallpox, making it essential for public health measures to focus on isolating infected individuals and implementing vaccination programs to prevent outbreaks. While direct contact can occur, especially with the bodily fluids or lesions of an infected person, the dominant and most concerning route remains through inhalation of the virus-laden droplets.