Human cowpox virus infection acquired from a circus elephant in Germany.
A 40-year-old Asian circus elephant developed mouth and trunk ulcers. Three weeks later, her 19-year-old animal warden noticed a vesicle on his forearm, evolving into a scab. Identical cowpox strains were isolated from lesions of the elephant and the warden. Cowpox virus could no longer be isolated after the scab disappeared, but PCR still revealed orthopox DNA. Healing was complete seven weeks later, leaving a 1 cm scar.
Hemmer
Christoph J
CJ
Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Rostock, Ernst-Heydemann-Strasse 6, Rostock, Germany. Christoph_Hemmer@medizin.uni-rostock.de
Littmann
Martina
M
Löbermann
Micha
M
Meyer
Hermann
H
Petschaelis
Angelika
A
Reisinger
Emil C
EC
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D015605:Cowpox / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary*; D015608:Cowpox virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004606:Elephants / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral