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Which early symptoms appeared before the smallpox rash?
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smallpox
Edward Jenner vaccinating his child against smallpox; colored engraving.
Before the characteristic smallpox rash appeared, the disease typically manifested with sudden, flulike symptoms. These early signs included:
- A high fever ranging from 38.5 to 40.5 °C (101 to 105 °F)1
- Severe headache1
- Back pain1
- Occasional abdominal pain and vomiting1
These symptoms generally lasted for two to five days before abating, at which point the characteristic lesions and rash typically developed. In some instances, a "toxic eruption" or rash—which could appear as a diffuse blush or deep red hemorrhages—occurred during this initial fever phase, particularly in the most severe and often fatal cases.1