Outbreak of Pox Disease among Carnivora (Felidae) and Edentata

Abstract

An outbreak of pox disease in Carnivora of the family Felidae occurred in the Moscow Zoo. Two forms of the disease were found: (1) fatal, fulminant pulmonary without skin lesions and (2) dermal with rash. The severity of the dermal form varied from subclinical to lethal. The pulmonary form was characterized by pneumonia and exudative pleuritis, and large concentrations of virus were observed in the lungs and exudate. In addition to Carnivora of the family Felidae, two giant anteaters had a severe form of the disease (dermal with hemorrhages) and died. The agent of the outbreak appeared to be very closely related to cowpox virus; however, pocks developed at a lower temperature than do those that result from infection with cowpox virus. Strains isolated from sick animals were identical to the virus previously isolated from an outbreak of pox among elephants and okapi. The most probable sources of infection were rats that were fed to some of the animals. During the outbreak, a female attendant at the zoo became infected.

An outbreak of cowpox in captive cheetahs: virological and epidemiological studies

“…In recent years cowpox virus and unclassified orthopoxviruses closely related to it have caused serious infections in valuable captive animals, notably okapis (Zwart, Gispen & Peters, 1971), lions, cheetahs, pumas, jaguars, panthers (Marennikova et al 1977), and elephants (Baxby & Ghaboosi, 1977). We report here virological, serological and epidemiological aspects of an outbreak of cowpox in cheetahs (Acinonyxjubatus) at the Zoological Society of London's Whipsnade Park in February 1977.…”

Serologic Survey of Orthopoxvirus Infection Among Rodents in Hungary

“…The first serological evidence of rodent hosts for CPXV was established in Russia (Marennikova et al 1977) in a retrospective study that showed Wistar rats to be the source of CPXV infections of several animals and humans in the Moscow zoo. The primary route of human infection is via bites of rats or other rodent species or by skin contacts with infected domestic animals that carry the pathogen from the original rodent hosts (Marennnikova et al 1988, Postma et al 1991, Lewis-Jones et al 1993).…”

Pox infection in white rats

“…Nevertheless, we cannot but pay attention to the similarity of the clinical picture with that seen in the person who handled the sick carnivora during the outbreak in the zoo caused by the same virus (Marennikova, Maltseva, Korneeva & Garanina, 1977 …”