Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cowpox virus causing unusual skin swelling on cats' hind legs
By Jungwirth, N et al.·Published in Journal of comparative pathology·2018·Department of Pathology, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Atypical Cowpox Virus Infection in a Series of Cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Five cats were brought to a veterinary clinic over four weeks with skin lesions on their hind legs, which looked swollen and red. These cats also showed signs of lameness and had other health issues like kidney problems or complications from tail surgery. Tests confirmed they were infected with cowpox virus, which is rare in cats. The unusual symptoms raised concerns about the potential for spreading the virus to humans. Treatment details were not specified, but the identification of the virus helps in managing the situation effectively.
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Abstract
Within 4 weeks, five cats with skin lesions affecting the hindlimbs and mainly consisting of oedema, hyperaemia and plaque-like alterations were presented to the same veterinary clinic. The cats were suffering from lameness, trauma, renal insufficiency or complicated tail amputation. Although the lesions seemed unusual for a poxvirus infection, microscopical examination of biopsy samples or specimens taken during necropsy examination revealed ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes with eosinophilic, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies indicative of an orthopoxvirus infection. Cowpox virus infection was verified using immunohistochemistry and virus isolation. Molecular analysis revealed identical haemagglutinin gene sequences in four cases and spatiotemporal circumstances in some cases pointed to hospital-acquired transmission. Unusual manifestations of feline cowpox may have an unexpected risk for human infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29422319/