ANIMAL INFECTIONS BY VACCINIA-LIKE VIRUSES IN THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO: 1- NORTHWESTERN REGION

Orthopoxvirus infections in dairy cattle have been followed in the northwestern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro for the last nine years. Clinical specimens from 50 animals collected by Animal Health authorities have been received in our laboratory for laboratory diagnosis, most of them blood specimens. Orthopoxvirus infections have been confirmed in 46 animals by at least one of the laboratory tests employed: neutralizing antibody detection using as antigen a vaccinia-like strain molecularly characterized and isolated in the area; RT-PCR test; electron microscopy observation; and virus isolation in a Vero cell line. The virus strains obtained were identified as vaccinia-like by electron microscopy and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), confirming the circulation of these strains in nature. Human cases associated with the infected animals have been also observed in the region, characterizing an expanding zoonosis caused by vaccinia-like strains in the state of Rio de Janeiro. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17525/vrr.v12i1-2.10