Human cowpox virus infection acquired from a circus elephant in Germany
Christoph J Hemmer, Martina Littmann, Micha Löbermann, Hermann Meyer, Angelika Petschaelis, Emil C Reisinger, Christoph J Hemmer, Martina Littmann, Micha Löbermann, Hermann Meyer, Angelika Petschaelis, Emil C Reisinger
Abstract
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.
Copyright © 2010 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Source: PubMed