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Orf virus (contagious pustular dermatitis)
Epidemiology:
- Orf is a disease of sheep sometimes referred to as contagious pustular dermatitis
- it is caused by a parapoxvirus
- human infection is acquired by contact with sheep infected around the mouth, nose or eyes
- human infection usually occurs at abrasion sites on the hands
Clinical manifestations:
- single or multiple large painful vesicles or tagetoid papules develop
- may be painless [2]
- typically progresses from targetoid papule to a boggy nodule
- often associated with lymphadenopathy
- nodule eventually dores our & resolution occurs within several weeks
- mild skin sensitivity may persisg at 6 months
Management:
- supportive care, self-limited infection
General
parapoxvirus
Properties
KINGDOM: virus
GENOME-TYPE: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
DOUBLE-STRANDED
CIRCULAR
GENOME-SIZE: 130-280 kB
ENVELOPE: PRESENT
CAPSID-SYMMETRY: COMPLEXITY
References
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed.
Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994,
pg 799.
- Qiu CS, Yanes AF
Images in Clinical Medicine; Orf
N Eng J Med. 2021. April 17.
PMID: 33882630
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm2029641