Camelpox and Buffalopox: Two Emerging and Re-emerging Orthopox Viral Diseases of India

Abstract

| World Health Assembly declared that the world is free from smallpox virus infection and vaccination against smallpox is not recommended since May 8, 1980. Since then several incidences of infections due to poxvirus reported in different parts of the world in humans and animals and the trend has now been increasing. In India, camelpox and buffalopox are the two important Orthopoxvirus (OPV) infections considered as emerging public health concern since last decade due to augmented reports of outbreaks and isolated cases. Both are highly contagious zoonotic viral diseases. Camelpox is an economically important, notifiable skin disease of camelids and could be used as a potential bio-warfare agent. Though, vaccines are available in few countries, this disease has received much attention in present days due to emergence of infections in human beings. Buffalopox is also causing tangible and intangible losses in affected herds which has no commercial vaccines at field to protect. Hence, novel, specific, sensitive, rapid and cost-effective diagnostic techniques would be useful in identification, thereby early implementations of therapeutic and preventives measures to curtail these diseases. This review provides an overview on the epidemiology, clinical picture, biology, diagnostic approaches and the preventive measures on the two emerging and re-emerging disease of India viz. camelpox and buffalopox.

Zoonotic implications of camel diseases in Iran

“…The causative agent of the disease is the camelpox virus (CMLV) belonging to the family Poxviridae. This disease can be pathogenic for human as well (Prabhu et al, 2015). Camelpox is mostly reported from Asia (Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen, Syria, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan), Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Mauretania, Niger, Somalia, Morocco, Ethiopia, Oman and Sudan) and the southern parts of former USSR (Wernery, Kaaden, & Ali, 1997).…”

“…Infected camels shed the virus into secretions including saliva, milk, ocular discharge, nasal discharges and dried scab. The route of transmission is via inhalation, skin abrasions and tick bite (Prabhu et al, 2015). The first official report of camelpox was from one camel in Bazman region of Sistan and Baluchistan province in 1957 (Moghaddas, 2012(Moghaddas, , 2012.…”

A novel and sensitive real-time PCR system for universal detection of poxviruses

“…Paradoxically, this triumph created a situation in which the subsequent cessation of vaccination has rendered the global human population vulnerable to (ortho)poxvirus infections. This is illustrated by the gradual increase in numbers of infections by (re)emergent members of the genus Orthopoxvirus , including Monkeypox 1 , 2 , Cowpox 3 , Camelpox and Buffalopox virus 4 . Among these viruses, Monkeypox virus is the most pathogenic with a case fatality rate of 1–10% and an attack rate of 9% in the 1980s that was recently reassessed to 50% due to a decrease in the prevalence of smallpox vaccine.…”

Emerging/re-emerging viral diseases & new viruses on the Indian horizon

“…This disease causes considerable financial loss to the dairy industry in terms of reduction in milk production and draught capacity145. In buffaloes and cows, this disease affects udder, teats, inguinal region, ears and eyes, and in the generalized form, it affects the hindquarters146. In humans, the disease is characterized by erythematous pocks on arms, face and neck, along with fever, axillary lymphadenopathy and malaise147.…”