What is the taxonomy of smallpox?

Smallpox is caused by the variola virus, which belongs to the Poxviridae family and the Chordopoxvirinae subfamily. Within this taxonomy, it is classified under the genus Variola. The two main strains of the variola virus are Variola major, which causes the more severe form of the disease, and Variola minor, which is less severe. Smallpox is a viral disease characterized by fever and a distinctive rash, and it was declared eradicated in 1980 following a successful global vaccination campaign.