Smallpox?

[Trei, Peter]

> Dr. Evil[SMTP:drevil at sidereal.kz] wrote:
> 
> > I would not count on the 18th century cowpox/smallpox coupling to be
> > valid today - viruses evolve, and that's not counting deliberate
> > manipulations intended to produce more virulent strains.
> 
> I was thinking about this some more, and I wonder if cowpox still
> exists in the wild.  
> 
Sheesh.

One thing that continually bugs me on this list is people asking
questions which can be anwered by a couple minutes research.

Google is your friend.

Peter Trei

-------------------------------------
http://www.kcom.edu/faculty/chamberlain/Website/tritzid/cowpox.htm

DISEASE NAME:     Cowpox (Vaccinia) 
  
ETIOLOGICAL AGENT: 
    Cowpox virus. This is a pox virus that is antigenically similar to
present 
vaccinia strains. 
  
DISEASE MANIFESTATIONS: 
    Natural cowpox is no longer present in the U.S. However, it is still
found in 
other parts of the world, especially England. It should not be confused with

pseudocowpox (also known as milker's nodules or paravaccinia). It is found 
in both cattle and horses where it infects the udder and teats of the
animals. 
It is spread by direct contact to humans. In the human it presents as a
papulovesiculogranulomatous skin lesion at the inoculation site. It does not

spread to other body parts from the initial lesion, which is usually located

on the hand or fingers. 
  
TREATMENT: 
    It is usually self limiting and no treatment is indicated except in 
immunocompromised patients. Then methisazone can be used.