title: Characterization of a cowpox-like orthopox virus which had caused a lethal infection in man.
abstract: In August 1990 an orthopox virus (OPV) had been isolated from a severe case of a generalized infection with lethal outcome in an immunosuppressed 18-year-old man. In this communication we present a detailed characterization of the causative virus strain. Based on distinct epitope configurations detected by various monoclonal antibodies the isolate could be differentiated from other OPV species and was classified as a cowpox virus (CP). This classification was confirmed by a species-specific PCR assay and by establishing physical maps for the restriction enzymes HindIII and XhoI. Based on serological data of neutralization assays, blocking-ELISAs and Western blotting analysis evidence is provided that the infection had been acquired from a stray cat.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Infectious and Epidemic Diseases, Veterinary Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Czerny
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeller-Lue
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Eis-Hübinger
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Kaaden
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015608:Cowpox virus / Q000145:classification; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018155:Orthopoxvirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011213:Poxviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D011817:Rabbits; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013045:Species Specificity; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral