title: Cowpox with severe generalized eruption, Finland.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. Paula.Pelkonen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Paula M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Pelkonen
authors.forename: Kyllikki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tarvainen
authors.forename: Arja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hynninen
authors.forename: Eva R K
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.forename: Keikki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Henttonen
authors.forename: Airi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palva
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaheri
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vapalahti
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral