Pox viruses

Properties of Poxviruses
Structure and composition
Largest viruses
dsDNA, 130-375 kb
Brick shaped
dumbbell core (contains nucleic acid)
Lateral bodies (unknown function)
Enveloped
Resistant to inactivation
More than 100 polypeptides
Many target the immune response
Replicate in cytoplasm
Tend to be highly species-specific
Some are being explored as gene therapy vectors
 envelope

Dumpbell core

Lateral
bodies

Structure of pox virus

 Classification
Family Poxviridae
Subfamilies Genera Members
Chordopoxvirinae Orthopox Variola, Vaccinia, Cowpox, Monkeypox,
virus Camel pox
(Vertebrates) Parapox virus Sealpox, parapox of deer. Pseudocow pox
Capripox Goat pox, Sheeppox
virus
Leporipox Hare fibroma, myoma, rabbit fibroma,
virus squirrel fibroma
Avipox virus Canarypox, fowlpox, pigeonpox,turkeypox

Suipox virus Swine pox

Molluscipox Molluscum contagium

virus
Yantapox Tana pox, Yaba monkey tumour
virus
Entomopoxvirina Capripox
e virus A
(Insects)
 Variola Virus causative agent of small pox
Classical smallpox Variola Major
Alastrism (non fatal) Variola minor
Vaccinia virus artificial virus does not occur in
nature as such, similar in property to Variola
Physical and Chemical Properties
Pox viruses- stable, remain viable at room
temperature for several months, freeze dried
for several years
Susceptible to UV , irradiation.
Inactivated by formalin and oxidising
disinfectants
Antigenic Structure
Nucleoprotein antigen LS ag (Heat Labile, Heat
Stable)
Agglutinogen
Haemagglutinin
Cultivation and Host range
CAM of 11-13 days old chick embryo
Ceiling temperature highest temperature above
which pocks not produced
Characteristic Variola Vaccinia
s

Pocks Small, shiny, white, Larger, irregular, flat,

convex,non necrotic, greysih, necrotic lesions,
non haemorrhagic some haemorrhagic
lesions
Ceiling 41.0C 38C (Variola major)
temperature 37.5C (Variola moinor)
Tissue Culture
Monkey kidney, HeLa and chick embryo cells
Cytopathic effects, Eosinophilic inclusion bodies,
Guaneri bodies
Animal Inoculation
Monkeys, Calves, rabbits vesicular lesions
Small pox
Eradicated since 1978. due to accidental outbreak
in LaboratoryBirmingham, England.
At present stored in 2 authorised laboratories
Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta, USA
Institute for Virus preparation, Moscow
 Smallpox Pathogenesis
Respiratory transmission
Incubation period 10-14 days
After day 7 or so, humans begin shedding virus
asymptomatically
Principal reason for rapid spread
Outbreaks tended to be in clusters
Allowed the ring immunization containment strategy
during the eradication program
Clinical symptoms
Fever
Malaise
Centrifugally-distributed exanthems
macules
papules
pustules
OTHER POX VIRUS DISEASES
Monkey pox resemble smallpox
White pox- cynomolgus monkeys of Malaysia
Leny virus Nigeria, hybrid of Variola and vaccinia
Cowpox and milkers node- lesions on udder and teats of
cow
Transmitted during milking
Lesions in man fingers or hands
Milkers node paravaccinia virus
Orf (contagious pustular dermatitis)-disease of sheep and
goat transmitted to man contact
Man single papulovesicular lesion with central ulcer on
hand, forearm or face
Virus resemble para vaccinia virus
Tana pox epidemic of febrile illness, Tana river Kenya
Single pock like lesion on upper part of the body
Molluscum Contagiosum
Disease in children & young adults
Pink/ pearly white wart like nodules on skin
Lesions eosinophilic hyaline inclusion
bodies displace nuclei to the margin
Molluscum bodies large number of viruses
embedded in protein matrix
Man only susceptible host
Sexually transmitted disease in young
adults & childrens
Genital area inflamed and ulcerated and
may simulate HSV infection
Control and Eradication
Vaccine
Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids rarely
contracted smallpox
All had recalled earlier cowpox infections, which
were nearly universal in milkmaids
Cowpox only causes a mild infection in humans
Jenner hypothesized that the infectious agent of
cowpox protected against smallpox
He inoculated a nephew by scarification with
cowpox crusts
termed variolation
Todays vaccine is live attenuated vaccinia virus
Vaccinias genome looks similar to cowpox, but
it is not identical
Soviets had a vaccine-resistant strain of variola,
which could be used as a bioweapon