Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cowpox virus infection in aborted foal - what to know
By Franke, Annika et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2016·1 Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Fatal Cowpox Virus Infection in an Aborted Foal.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study talks about a foal that was aborted during pregnancy and had signs of a cowpox virus infection. The foal's skin showed many small bumps, and tests confirmed the presence of the virus. Researchers were able to isolate the virus from the skin and identified it as a new strain called "CPXV Amadeus." This case adds to our understanding of how cowpox can occasionally infect horses, which is very rare. Unfortunately, the foal did not survive due to the infection.
Abstract
The article describes the isolation of a cowpox virus (CPXV) isolate originating from a horse. The skin of a foal, aborted in the third trimester, displayed numerous cutaneous papules. The histological examination showed A-type inclusion bodies within the lesion, typical for CPXV infections. This suspicion was confirmed by real-time PCR where various organs were analyzed. From skin samples, virus isolation was successfully performed. Afterwards, the whole genome of this new isolate "CPXV Amadeus" was sequenced by next-generation technology. Phylogenetic analysis clearly showed that "CPXV Amadeus" belongs to the "CPXV-like 1" clade. To our opinion, the study provides important additional information on rare accidental CPXV infections. From the natural hosts, the voles, species such as rats, cats, or different zoo animals are occasionally infected, but until now only two horse cases are described. In addition, there are new insights toward congenital CPXV infections.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27159333/