Abstract

SILVA, Afonso Carlos da et al. Human infection by the cowpox virus in the microregion of Itajubá, state of Minas Gerais: case report. Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop. [online]. 2008, vol.41, n.5, pp. 507-511. ISSN 0037-8682.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822008000500015.

The authors report three human cases of cowpox infection, among farm workers who were manually milking infected cows, in the microregion of Itajubá, Minas Gerais. The diagnostic techniques used were: isolation of samples similar to the vaccinia virus, from skin lesion secretions; polymerase chain reaction; electronic microscopy; and antibodies for Orthopoxvirus in the patients' blood.

Keywords : Cowpox; Vaccinia virus; Orthopoxvirus.