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JERUSALEM (Reuters) Dec 19 - Israel's smallpox vaccination of 15,000 emergency workers in preparation for a possible US-led war on Iraq caused few side effects, a Health Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

Four people were hospitalized as a result of the vaccination drive, according to spokesman Ido Hadari.

These included the child of one worker and the spouse of another, who had come into contact with their family member's vaccine site, causing blisters and a mild fever. The other two were treated for minor side effects.

Hadari said Israel was sharing its results with the US which vaccinated 100 military medics on Wednesday in the first wave of a program to immunize millions of troops and emergency workers who could be called to respond to any smallpox attack.

Washington launched the drive amid concern some terror organizations may have developed smallpox into biological weapons.

Israel and the US also fear Baghdad may have developed smallpox as a weapon. Israel is preparing for possible Iraqi missile attacks should the US launch an offensive against Baghdad.

Babies born in Israel were inoculated with the smallpox vaccine up until 1980, and all Israeli military conscripts were vaccinated until 1996.

"You can expect that one case out of a million that gets the vaccination might die. In a population that has been vaccinated in the past, we can say there will be only one death for every two to four million," Hadari said.

Israel has stockpiled enough doses of smallpox to vaccinate its entire population of six million. Hadari declined to say when the rest of the population might be vaccinated.

Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel in retaliation for US-led air attacks during the 1991 Gulf War.

The missiles were armed with conventional warheads but some Israelis fear Saddam Hussein may arm Scuds with chemical or biological warheads if he believes the US is on the verge of ousting him.

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ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.