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Concomitant human infections with 2 cowpox virus strains in related cases, France, 2011

Corinne Ducournau, Audrey Ferrier-Rembert, Olivier Ferraris

    Emerging Infectious Diseases
    |November 27, 2013
    PubMed

    Insights

    Four human cowpox virus infections occurred in France in 2011, likely from imported pet rats. Genetic analysis revealed two related strains, linking them to previous European human cowpox cases.

    Area of Science:

    • Veterinary Medicine
    • Human Infectious Diseases
    • Virology

    Background:

    • Cowpox virus (CPXV) is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus endemic in Europe.
    • Human infections are rare but can occur through direct contact with infected animals or fomites.
    • Surveillance of CPXV in animal populations is crucial for understanding transmission dynamics.

    Observation:

    • Four human cases of cowpox virus infection were reported in France in 2011.
    • Three cases were linked to a single CPXV strain, suspected to be transmitted by imported pet rats.
    • A fourth case involved a distinct, yet related, CPXV strain.

    Findings:

    • The identified CPXV strains were genetically characterized.
    • Two distinct but related CPXV strains were detected in the human cases.
    • These strains showed genetic similarity to previously identified European human CPXV isolates.

    Implications:

    • This highlights the potential for CPXV transmission from exotic pets to humans.
    • Imported rodents can serve as reservoirs for zoonotic orthopoxviruses.
    • Enhanced monitoring of CPXV in pet trade animals is recommended to prevent future outbreaks.
    Keywords:
    Franceco-infectioncowpox virusorthopoxviruspoxvirusrat-to-human infectionsstrainsviruses

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