Abstract
BackgroundDespite the fact that smallpox eradication was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980, other poxviruses have emerged and re-emerged, with significant public health and economic impacts. Vaccinia virus (VACV), a poxvirus used during the WHO smallpox vaccination campaign, has been involved in zoonotic infections in Brazilian rural areas (Bovine Vaccinia outbreaks – BV), affecting dairy cattle and milkers. Little is known about VACV's natural hosts and its epidemiological and ecological characteristics. Although VACV was isolated and/or serologically detected in Brazilian wild animals, the link between wildlife and farms has not yet been elucidated.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study, we describe for the first time, to our knowledge, the isolation of a VACV (Mariana virus - MARV) from a mouse during a BV outbreak. Genetic data, in association with biological assays, showed that this isolate was the same etiological agent causing exanthematic lesions observed in the cattle and human inhabitants of a particular BV-affected area. Phylogenetic analysis grouped MARV with other VACV isolated during BV outbreaks.Conclusion/SignificanceThese data provide new biological and epidemiological information on VACV and lead to an interesting question: could peridomestic rodents be the link between wildlife and BV outbreaks?
Highlights
Thirty years ago, the scientific community celebrated the eradication of smallpox, a highly lethal disease caused by the Variola virus (VARV) [1], a member of Family Poxviridae [2]
The smallpox vaccines used in the World Health Organization (WHO) campaign were, Vaccinia virus (VACV) strains, a species belonging to the Orthopoxvirus (OPV) genus that presents serological cross-reaction with other OPV, including VARV [1,3]
Some authors believed that VACV vaccine strains could have spread from humans to domestic animals and adapted to the rural environment [8], recent studies have suggested an independent origin for South American VACV isolates, distinct from the vaccine strains used on this continent during the WHO campaign [13,14]
Summary
The scientific community celebrated the eradication of smallpox, a highly lethal disease caused by the Variola virus (VARV) [1], a member of Family Poxviridae [2] This achievement was the result of a coordinated effort by the World Health Organization (WHO), which promoted a world-wide vaccination campaign during the 1960s and 1970s [3]. In recent years, other poxviruses have emerged and re-emerged, causing exanthematic infections in humans and domestic animals, both in rural and urban areas These zoonotic diseases are mainly caused by OPV species, such as (i) Cowpox virus (CPXV) in Europe [6]; (ii) Monkeypox virus (MPXV), which occurs naturally in Africa and was recently introduced in the USA [7]; and (iii) Vaccinia virus (VACV) in Asia and South America [8,9,10]. VACV was isolated and/or serologically detected in Brazilian wild animals, the link between wildlife and farms has not yet been elucidated
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