Cowpox with severe generalized eruption, Finland.
Cowpox with a severe, generalized eruption was diagnosed in an atopic 4-year-old girl by electron microscopy, virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction, and immunoglobulin (Ig) M and low-avidity IgG antibodies. The hemagglutinin gene of the isolate clustered with a Russian cowpox virus strain, and more distantly, with other cowpox and vaccinia virus strains. The patient's dog had orthopoxvirus-specific antibodies, indicating a possible transmission route. In Finnish wild rodents, orthopoxvirus seroprevalences were 0%-92%, in humans the seroprevalence was 100% in the age group >50, decreasing towards younger age groups.
Pelkonen
Paula M
PM
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. Paula.Pelkonen@helsinki.fi
Tarvainen
Kyllikki
K
Hynninen
Arja
A
Kallio
Eva R K
ER
Henttonen
Keikki
K
Palva
Airi
A
Vaheri
Antti
A
Vapalahti
Olli
O
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015605:Cowpox / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015608:Cowpox virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans
D000914:Antibodies, Viral