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Emerging Infectious Diseases Feb 2019We report a case of atypical cowpox virus infection in France in 2016. The patient sought care for thoracic lesions after injury from the sharp end of a metallic...
We report a case of atypical cowpox virus infection in France in 2016. The patient sought care for thoracic lesions after injury from the sharp end of a metallic guardrail previously stored in the ground. We isolated a cowpox virus from the lesions and sequenced its whole genome. The patient reported that he had been previously vaccinated against smallpox. We describe an alternative route of cowpox virus infection and raise questions about the immunological status of smallpox-vaccinated patients for circulating orthopoxviruses.
Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Computational Biology; Cowpox; Cowpox virus; France; Genome, Viral; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Phylogeny; Smallpox; Smallpox Vaccine; Vaccination; Virus Replication
PubMed: 30666929
DOI: 10.3201/eid2502.171433 -
Revista de Salud Publica (Bogota,... Nov 2018The recent occurrence of vaccinia virus infections in humans and animals in Colombia, together with that reported for this and other species of the genus Orthopoxvirus... (Review)
Review
The recent occurrence of vaccinia virus infections in humans and animals in Colombia, together with that reported for this and other species of the genus Orthopoxvirus in some South American, African, Asian and European countries, is supporting evidence of the emergence and re-emergence of the genus. This fact has become of great interest for public health around the world due to its biological and an epidemiological features, as was in the past the variola virus, one of its representatives. The emergence and re-emergence of the genus Orthopoxvirus may be a consequence of stopping vaccination against the variola virus in the 1970s and 1980s. This vaccination unsuspectedly induced cross-protective immunity to other species of that genus. This is a review of the history, biology and epidemiology of the main species of the genus Orthopoxvirus, together with its clinical presentation, social context and public health impact in the past, present and future.
Topics: Animals; Colombia; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Cross Reactions; Disease Eradication; Disease Outbreaks; Global Health; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; History, Ancient; Humans; Poxviridae Infections; Public Health; Smallpox; Smallpox Vaccine; Social Determinants of Health; Vaccination; Vaccinia; Viral Zoonoses
PubMed: 33206905
DOI: 10.15446/rsap.V20n6.67962 -
Archives of Virology Jan 2024The historical significance of the poxviruses is profound, largely due to the enduring impact left by smallpox virus across many centuries. The elimination of smallpox... (Review)
Review
The historical significance of the poxviruses is profound, largely due to the enduring impact left by smallpox virus across many centuries. The elimination of smallpox is a remarkable accomplishment in the history of science and medicine, with centuries of devoted efforts resulting in the development and widespread administration of smallpox vaccines. This review provides insight into the pivotal historical events involving medically significant poxviruses. Understanding the remarkable saga of combatting smallpox is crucial, serving as a guidepost for potential future encounters with poxvirus infections. There is a continual need for vigilant observation of poxvirus evolution and spillover from animals to humans, considering the expansive range of susceptible hosts. The recent occurrence of monkeypox cases in non-endemic countries stands as a stark reminder of the ease with which infections can be disseminated through international travel and trade. This backdrop encourages introspection about our journey and the current status of poxvirus research.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Poxviridae; Smallpox; Poxviridae Infections
PubMed: 38280957
DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-05971-2 -
Viruses Dec 2020Akhmeta virus is a zoonotic first identified in 2013 in the country of Georgia. Subsequent ecological investigations in Georgia have found evidence that this virus is...
Akhmeta virus is a zoonotic first identified in 2013 in the country of Georgia. Subsequent ecological investigations in Georgia have found evidence that this virus is widespread in its geographic distribution within the country and in its host-range, with rodents likely involved in its circulation in the wild. Yet, little is known about the pathogenicity of this virus in rodents. We conducted the first laboratory infection of Akhmeta virus in CAST/EiJ to further characterize this novel virus. We found a dose-dependent effect on mortality and weight loss ( < 0.05). Anti-orthopoxvirus antibodies were detected in the second- and third-highest dose groups (5 × 10 pfu and 3 × 10 pfu) at euthanasia by day 10, and day 14 post-infection, respectively. Anti-orthopoxvirus antibodies were not detected in the highest dose group (3 × 10 pfu), which were euthanized at day 7 post-infection and had high viral load in tissues, suggesting they succumbed to disease prior to mounting an effective immune response. In order of highest burden, viable virus was detected in the nostril, lung, tail, liver and spleen. All individuals tested in the highest dose groups were DNAemic. Akhmeta virus was highly pathogenic in CAST/EiJ causing 100% mortality when ≥3 × 10 pfu was administered.
Topics: Animal Diseases; Animals; Female; Laboratory Infection; Mice; Orthopoxvirus; Poxviridae Infections; Serologic Tests; Viral Load
PubMed: 33317132
DOI: 10.3390/v12121416 -
Viruses Aug 2018Taterapox virus (TATV) is phylogenetically the closest related virus to variola-the etiological agent of smallpox. Despite the similarity, few studies have evaluated the...
Taterapox virus (TATV) is phylogenetically the closest related virus to variola-the etiological agent of smallpox. Despite the similarity, few studies have evaluated the virus. In vivo, TATV can infect several animals but produces an inapparent infection in wild-type mice; however, TATV does cause morbidity and mortality in some immunocompromised strains. We employed in vitro techniques to compare TATV to ectromelia (ECTV) and vaccinia (VACV) viruses. Both ECTV and TATV replicate efficiently in primate cell lines but TATV replicates poorly in murine cells lines. Furthermore, TATV induces cytopathic effects, but to a lesser extent than ECTV, and changes cytoskeletal networks differently than both ECTV and VACV. Bioinformatic studies revealed differences in several immunomodulator open reading frames that could contribute to the reduced virulence of TATV, which were supported by in vitro cytokine assays.
Topics: A549 Cells; Animals; Cell Line; Chlorocebus aethiops; Cowpox virus; Ectromelia virus; Humans; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Open Reading Frames; Orthopoxvirus; Phylogeny; Poxviridae Infections; Sequence Analysis, Protein; Spleen; Vaccinia virus; Vero Cells; Virulence
PubMed: 30158437
DOI: 10.3390/v10090463 -
Acta Dermatovenerologica Croatica : ADC Dec 2019Dear Editor, Orf, also called contagious ecthyma, contagious pustular dermatitis, sore mouth, or scabby mouth, is a highly contagious zoonotic disease which is caused by...
Dear Editor, Orf, also called contagious ecthyma, contagious pustular dermatitis, sore mouth, or scabby mouth, is a highly contagious zoonotic disease which is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, ORFV (Parapoxvirus genus of the family Poxviridae) (1). The infection is endemic to sheep and goats, and humans are infected either through direct transmission from active lesions on infected animals or through contact with fomites (2). Orf is an occupational hazard and the population at risk includes shepherds, butchers, farmers, wool shearers, and veterinarians (2,3). Professionals rarely seek medical attention as they are aware of its benign nature (4). A 59-year-old woman presented with two painful plaques involving the dorsal aspect of her right thumb and the first interdigital space of the left hand. On examination, targetoid appearance with a central umbilication surrounded by a violaceous bullous halo was observed (Figure 1). The patient had been raising goats on her farm that recently presented udder and perioral crusted lesions. She did not wear gloves while performing this task. A skin biopsy was performed and showed elongation of the rete ridges, edematous papillary dermis, and eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions in vacuolated cells (Figure 2). A diagnosis of human orf was established and the patient was started on a topical antiseptic solution to prevent secondary infection. The lesions healed without scarring after 6 weeks. Orf is characterized by one or multiple nodules on the hands and fingers, but also on the feet, legs, neck, and face. After an incubation period of 3-7 days, the lesions evolve through six clinical stages (2-4): (1) maculopapular stage (days 1-7), with erythematous macules or papules; (2) target stage (days 7-14), with necrotic center and red outer halo; (3) acute stage (days 14-21), in which the nodule begins to weep; (4) regenerative stage (days 21-28), in which the nodule becomes dry; (5) papilloma stage (days 28-35), where the lesion become papilloma-like and forms a dry crust; (6) regression stage (after 35 days). The lesions may be accompanied by lymphangitis, lymphadenopathy, malaise, fever, erysipelas, and occasionally erythema multiforme and bullous pemphigoid (3). Orf is usually a clinical diagnosis (2-4). The characteristic clinical appearance and location of the lesions along with the history of contact with infected animals is sufficient to establish a diagnosis. The differential diagnosis includes milker's nodule, cutaneous anthrax, neutrophilic dermatosis, atypical mycobacterial infection, cutaneous leishmaniasis, pyogenic granuloma, keratoacanthoma, and fungal infection (4,5). Further investigations are performed only when the diagnosis is in doubt and include electron microscopy, virology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or PCR-based approaches (4). The histological findings depend on the stage of the lesion and include eosinophilic inclusion bodies, epidermal necrosis, vacuolated keratinocytes, a dense mixed dermal infiltrate, and delicate finger-like projections in the epidermis (6).There is no specific treatment since the disease resolves spontaneously within 6-8 weeks, but successful application of cryotherapy, topical imiquimod, and cidofovir has been reported without supporting evidence (4). Surgical debridement should be avoided because it prolonged the recovery period (5). For prevention, wearing nonporous gloves, washing after handling, and isolation of infected animals is effective (2,4). In the present case, the diagnosis of orf was established in a straightforward manner after a good clinical examination and occupational history, allowing us to reassure the patient on its benign nature. The knowledge of this diagnosis prevents multiple complementary investigations (blood tests, histopathology, skin cultures, PCR detection, and electron microscopy) and unnecessary overtreatment. Although a rare entity, the predominant hand involvement in professionals can have significant morbidity that reflects on their productivity and quality of life. This reinforces the need for using appropriate measures to prevent animal-to-human transmission.
Topics: Animals; Ecthyma, Contagious; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Zoonoses
PubMed: 31969245
DOI: No ID Found -
Viruses Aug 2017Taterapox virus (TATV), which was isolated from an African gerbil () in 1975, is the most closely related virus to variola; however, only the original report has...
Taterapox virus (TATV), which was isolated from an African gerbil () in 1975, is the most closely related virus to variola; however, only the original report has examined its virology. We have evaluated the tropism of TATV in vivo in small animals. We found that TATV does not infect , a species of African dormouse, but does induce seroconversion in the Mongolian gerbil () and in mice; however, in wild-type mice and gerbils, the virus produces an unapparent infection. Following intranasal and footpad inoculations with 1 × 10⁶ plaque forming units (PFU) of TATV, immunocompromised mice showed signs of disease but did not die; however, SCID mice were susceptible to intranasal and footpad infections with 100% mortality observed by Day 35 and Day 54, respectively. We show that death is unlikely to be a result of the virus mutating to have increased virulence and that SCID mice are capable of transmitting TATV to C57BL/6 and C57BL/6 animals; however, transmission did not occur from TATV inoculated wild-type or mice. Comparisons with ectromelia (the etiological agent of mousepox) suggest that TATV behaves differently both at the site of inoculation and in the immune response that it triggers.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Disease Models, Animal; Ectromelia virus; Ectromelia, Infectious; Host Specificity; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, SCID; Orthopoxvirus; Poxviridae Infections; STAT1 Transcription Factor; Viral Tropism
PubMed: 28763036
DOI: 10.3390/v9080203 -
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Feb 2018Goat pox disease outbreaks were observed in different places affecting Black Bengal Goats in West Bengal (WB) and Tellicherry, Vembur and non-descriptive breeds in Tamil...
Goat pox disease outbreaks were observed in different places affecting Black Bengal Goats in West Bengal (WB) and Tellicherry, Vembur and non-descriptive breeds in Tamil Nadu (TN) causing severe lesions and mortality up to 30%. Clinical specimens from all the outbreaks were screened by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and confirmed the diseases as Goat Pox. Virus isolation in Vero cell line was done with randomly selected ten samples, cytopathic effects (CPE) characterized by syncytia and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed after several blind passages. Nucleotide sequence of complete p32 gene using randomly selected two isolates and three clinical specimens revealed presence of Goat pox virus (GTPV)-specific signature residues in all the sequences. Phylogenetic analysis using the present five sequences along with GenBank data of GTPV complete p32 gene sequences showed all the GTPV sequences cluster together except Pellor strain (NC004003) and FZ Chinese strain (KC951854). The five sequences either from WB or TN cluster more closely with GTPV isolates of Maharashtra state that were responsible for cross species outbreak of pox disease in both sheep (KF468759) and goats (KF468762) in India during the year 2010. All the Indian goat pox viruses, including the Mukteswar strain, isolated in 1946 and sequence reported in 2004 clustered together with the GTPVs causing the recent outbreaks. It was observed that GTPVs caused similar clinical manifestation irrespective of their geographical locations and breed characteristics, no variation observed among the Indian isolates based on p32 gene over the period of seventy years and disease outbreaks could not be observed or reported in vaccinated goats.
Topics: Animals; Capripoxvirus; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Goat Diseases; Goats; India; Male; Molecular Epidemiology; Phylogeny; Poxviridae Infections
PubMed: 29150913
DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12763 -
Advances in Experimental Medicine and... 2024Poxviruses target innate immunity mediators such as tumor necrosis factors, interleukins, interferons, complement, and chemokines. It also targets adaptive immunity such... (Review)
Review
Poxviruses target innate immunity mediators such as tumor necrosis factors, interleukins, interferons, complement, and chemokines. It also targets adaptive immunity such as CD4 T cells, CD4 T cells, and B cells. Emerging of the recent epidemic of monkeypox virus (MPXV), a zoonotic disease native to Central and Western Africa, besides the lack of permitted treatments for poxviruses infections, encouraged researchers to identify effective inhibitors to help in preventing and treating poxviruses infections. Natural bioactive components, particularly polyphenolics, are promising for creating powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating, and antiviral agents. As a result, they are potentially effective therapies for preventing and treating viral diseases, such as infections caused by poxviruses including the recent pandemic MPXV. Polyphenolics: rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, resveratrol, quercitrin, myricitrin, gingerol, gallotannin, and propolis-benzofuran A, as well as isoquinoline alkaloids: galanthamine and thalimonine represent prospective antiviral agents against MPXV, they can inhibit MPXV and other poxviruses via targeting different viral elements including DNA Topoisomerase I (TOP1), Thymidine Kinase (TK), serine/threonine protein kinase (Ser/Thr kinase), and protein A48R. The bioactive extracts of different traditional plants including Guiera senegalensis, Larrea tridentata, Sarracenia purpurea, Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Quercus infectoria, Rhus chinensis, Prunella vulgaris L., Salvia rosmarinus, and Origanum vulgare also can inhibit the growth of different poxviruses including MPXV, vaccinia virus (VACV), variola virus, buffalopox virus, fowlpox virus, and cowpox virus. There is an urgent need for additional molecular studies to identify and confirm the anti-poxviruses properties of various natural bioactive components, especially those that showed potent antiviral activity against other viruses.
Topics: Humans; Poxviridae Infections; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Poxviridae; Immunomodulating Agents; Complementary Therapies; Biological Products
PubMed: 38801589
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-57165-7_22 -
BMC Veterinary Research Oct 2023Sheep and goat pox (SGP) caused by sheep poxvirus (SPV) and goat poxvirus (GPV) respectively; are transboundary and World Organisation for Animal Health...
BACKGROUND
Sheep and goat pox (SGP) caused by sheep poxvirus (SPV) and goat poxvirus (GPV) respectively; are transboundary and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)-notifiable viral diseases. There is barely any coherent information about the distribution and prevalence of SGP for Uganda. We therefore conducted this study to describe the temporal and spatial distribution of SGP suspected outbreaks in Uganda for the period 2011-2020 as well as serologically confirm presence of SGP antibodies in suspected SGP outbreaks reported in 2021-2022.
RESULTS
Thirty-seven [37] SGP outbreaks were reported across the country during the study period. North-eastern region [that comprises of Karamoja region] had the highest number of outbreaks [n = 17, 45%]; followed by Central [n = 9, 2.4%], Northern [n = 8, 2.2%] and Western region [n = 3, 0.08%]. Reports from district veterinary personnel indicate that the prevalence of; and mortality rate and case fatality rate associated with SGP were 0.06%, 0.02% and 32% respectively. There was a steady increase in the number of reported SGP outbreaks [x̄ = 4] over the study period. Seropositivity of SGPV antibodies in outbreak sheep and goats that were investigated during the study period [2021-2022] was [n = 41, 27%, 95 CI;] CONCLUSION: Our analyses of SGPV passive and active reports indicate that SGP is present in Uganda with a decade long average of four outbreaks per annum. During this period, about a third of all SGPV-clinically infected animals died. SPG is therefore a major constraint to small ruminant health and productivity in Uganda. Introduction of animals from infected herds and breach in farm biosecurity were the most important predictors of SGP outbreaks. In addition to the already existing SGP commercial vaccines, small ruminant screening for SGPV before introducing them to naïve herds and ensuring on farm biosecurity should be part of the SGP control tool pack for Ugandan small ruminant farmers.
Topics: Sheep; Animals; Uganda; Goat Diseases; Sheep Diseases; Poxviridae Infections; Capripoxvirus; Goats; Disease Outbreaks; Spatio-Temporal Analysis
PubMed: 37891597
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03788-w