title: Vaccinia virus: shedding and horizontal transmission in a murine model.
abstract: Vaccinia virus (VACV) has been associated with several bovine vaccinia outbreaks in Brazil, affecting cattle and humans. There are no available data about VACV environmental circulation or the role of wildlife in the emergence of an outbreak. Since VACV was isolated from rodents in Brazil, we investigated shedding and transmission of VACV strains in mice. The VACV excretion profile was assessed by PCR and chicken chorioallantoic membrane infection, revealing viral DNA and infectious virus in the faeces and urine of intranasally infected mice. Horizontal transmission was assessed by exposure of sentinel mice to wood shavings contaminated with excrement, to mimic a natural infection. Sentinel mice showed orthopoxvirus antibodies, and VACV DNA and infectious virus were detected in their faeces and intestines, even after six rounds of natural transmission. Together, these data suggest that murine excrement could play a relevant role in VACV spread and transmission, perhaps helping to explain how these viruses circulate between their natural hosts.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline Maria Siqueira
authors.initials: JMS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jônatas Santos
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Abrahão
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Betânia Paiva
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Drumond
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Meireles
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Augusto
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Antônio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pascoal-Xavier
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Zélia Inês Portela
authors.initials: ZIP
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio Antônio
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bonjardim
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo César Peregrino
authors.initials: PCP
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erna Geessien
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kroon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D014709:Vero Cells; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral