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Cowpox virus infection in an 11-year-old girl
R Wienecke1, H Wolff, M Schaller
1Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Klinikum Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Insights
A child contracted cowpox virus infection from neighborhood cats. Diagnosis was confirmed using electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Human Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cowpox virus (CPXV) is a zoonotic pathogen belonging to the Orthopoxvirus genus.
- CPXV infections in humans are rare but can occur through direct contact with infected animals, particularly domestic animals like cats.
- Individuals with atopic dermatitis may be more susceptible to severe CPXV infections.
Observation:
- An 11-year-old girl presented with a crusted, ulcerated nodule on her chin/neck and an eroded blister on her leg.
- The patient had close contact with neighborhood cats and a history of atopy.
- Lesions were characteristic of a viral infection.
Findings:
- Orthopoxvirus was detected in the leg lesion via electron microscopy (negative staining, transmission electron microscopy) and virus isolation.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzyme digestion confirmed the virus as cowpox virus.
- The clinical presentation and diagnostic findings were consistent with a primary cowpox infection.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for CPXV transmission from domestic animals to humans, even in non-outbreak settings.
- Early and accurate diagnosis of cowpox virus is crucial for appropriate patient management and public health surveillance.
- Understanding the role of environmental factors and host susceptibility, such as atopy, is important for preventing and controlling zoonotic poxvirus infections.
Abstract:
We describe an 11-year-old girl with a cowpox virus infection, who presented with a 14-day-old crusted, ulcerated nodule on the chin/neck and a 6-day-old eroded blister on the left leg. The girl lived in a rural environment, had close contact to several cats from the neighborhood, and had an atopic predisposition. The presence of orthopox virus in the lesion on the left leg was demonstrated by electron microscopy (negative staining, transmission electron microscopy) and virus isolation. Classification as a cowpox virus was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by restriction enzyme digestion of the PCR product.