Volunteers in Central Florida will be among the first in the nation to get new smallpox vaccines to determine how to protect against the disease if it is used as a weapon, according to Local 6 News.

The tests will help determine what dosage will protect people against the potentially deadly biological weapon.

The government will pay 120 Central Floridians to take part in the study.

The research will reportedly be done at the Orlando Clinical Research Center.

Local 6 News reported that there is a small risk for volunteers. The vaccine can cause side effects, including brain swelling and in extreme cases, death.

Smallpox is a highly contagious disease that infects 30 percent of people exposed to it and has a 30 percent mortality rate.

It can be spread through the air, saliva, and infected blankets, linens, and clothing. Robert Edelman, M.D., Associate Director for Clinical Research at the Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland, says, "It's because of that rapid dispersion and transmission that it's of tremendous, tremendous concern."

Symptoms of smallpox begin about 12 days after exposure to the virus. Initial symptoms are similar to that of the flu -- fever, nausea, vomiting, headache and backache. Symptoms then progress into severe abdominal pain, disorientation, and an outbreak of round sores all over the skin. Treatment at this stage of the disease is extremely limited.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

Previous Stories:

• June 19, 2002: Federal Panel Mulls Smallpox Vaccinations
• June 17, 2002: Health Experts Debate Smallpox Vaccinations
• March 29, 2002: Frozen Smallpox Vaccine Donated To U.S.
• March 28, 2002: Study: Diluted Smallpox Vaccine Effective
• February 7, 2002: Diluted Smallpox Vaccine May Cover Shortage
• December 4, 2001: Study: Quarantine Bad Option For Smallpox
• November 28, 2001: U.S. Buys 155 Million Smallpox Vaccine Doses