title: Orthopoxvirus DNA in Eurasian lynx, Sweden.
abstract: Cowpox virus, which has been used to protect humans against smallpox but may cause severe disease in immunocompromised persons, has reemerged in humans, domestic cats, and other animal species in Europe. Orthopoxvirus (OPV) DNA was detected in tissues (lung, kidney, spleen) in 24 (9%) of 263 free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Sweden. Thymidine kinase gene amplicon sequences (339 bp) from 21 lynx were all identical to those from cowpox virus isolated from a person in Norway and phylogenetically closer to monkeypox virus than to vaccinia virus and isolates from 2 persons with cowpox virus in Sweden. Prevalence was higher among animals from regions with dense, rather than rural, human populations. Lynx are probably exposed to OPV through predation on small mammal reservoir species. We conclude that OPV is widely distributed in Sweden and may represent a threat to humans. Further studies are needed to verify whether this lynx OPV is cowpox virus.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Section of Arctic Veterinary Medicine, Tromso, Norway. morten.tryland@veths.no
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tryland
authors.forename: Malachy Ifeanyi
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Okeke
authors.forename: Carl Hård
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Af Segerstad
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mörner
authors.forename: Terje
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Traavik
authors.forename: Marie Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ryser-Degiorgis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D046008:Lynx / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018155:Orthopoxvirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D011213:Poxviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D013937:Thymidine Kinase