Comparative studies on poxvirus strains isolated from camels.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Poxviridae
• Orthopoxvirus genus

Background:

• Poxviruses, particularly Orthopoxvirus, pose significant public health concerns.
• Camel poxvirus (CPXV) strains circulating globally require characterization for epidemiological and control purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare five distinct poxvirus strains isolated from camels.
• To determine the morphological, biological, and serological characteristics of these camel poxvirus strains.

Main Methods:

• Negative staining electron microscopy for virion morphology and size assessment.
• Inoculation of chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) of embryonated eggs to evaluate lesion development.
• Determination of ceiling temperature and hemagglutinating activity.
• Pathogenicity studies in rabbit skin and intracerebral inoculation in mice.
• Serological analysis using vaccinia virus as a reference.

Main Results:

• All five camel poxvirus strains exhibited identical morphology and size.
• Strains produced localized pock lesions on CAM without generalization or embryo death.
• Significant variations were observed in ceiling temperature and hemagglutinating activity among strains.
• Strains were apathogenic in rabbit skin but highly pathogenic upon intracerebral inoculation in mice.
• Serological relatedness to vaccinia virus varied across the investigated strains.

Conclusions:

• The studied camel poxvirus strains share common Orthopoxvirus characteristics.
• Variations in biological properties suggest potential for distinct epidemiological behavior.
• The findings contribute to the understanding of camel poxvirus diversity and its relationship to vaccinia virus.