Cat pox

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Catpox is an infectious disease in cats caused by cowpox viruses (genus real pox viruses ) . They are characterized by papules that develop into pustules and eventually disintegrate into ulcers . The disease is particularly important because it can also be transmitted to humans ( zoonosis ).

Pathogen, occurrence and development of the disease

The causative agent of catpox has long been regarded as an unclassified real smallpox virus , which is classified as cowpox -like. Nowadays, based on extensive molecular biological studies, it is known that catpox is caused by the cowpox virus.

The natural reservoir is presumably mainly rodents . Infection probably occurs via ingestion of captured rats and mice. Nothing is known about the resistance of the pathogen in the environment.

Catpox was first detected in wild cats in the Moscow Zoo in 1976, and in a domestic cat in the Netherlands in 1978 . In the following years, over a hundred diseases were detected, with the number of unreported cases being very high. The first confirmed case in cats in Germany was published in 1989. A transmission from a cat to a domestic dog and the owner of both animals was described in 1991.

In 1985, a girl was found to be infected for the first time in Germany, probably due to cats. Since then there have been repeated reports of human diseases that originated in cats. Immune-incompetent people are particularly affected, especially children. A connection with the no longer taking place smallpox vaccination is discussed.

Clinical picture

The clinical picture in cats is characterized by the formation of papules several millimeters in size - preferably in the head area - which, however, often go undetected in the fur. The central fusion causes pus vesicles and then ulcerations . With a systemic course, efflorescences up to two centimeters in size occur over the body. Clinically, these ulcerations cannot be assigned to a smallpox disease, especially since there are often mixed infections with other viruses, bacteria or dermatophytes . Inflammation of the tongue ( glossitis ), the lining of the mouth ( stomatitis ) or lungs ( pneumonia ) can also occur - without any skin changes occurring. An infection with the leukemia virus (causative agent of feline leukemia ) or immunodeficiency virus ( immunodeficiency syndrome in cats ) promotes infections with feline pox. The average duration of illness is two weeks.

The diagnosis can only be made by electron microscopic detection of pathogens, virus cultivation, antigen or antibody detection and pathohistological detection of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies . Pathohistologically, there is deep dermatitis with infiltration of eosinophilic granulocytes , lymphocytes , plasma cells and mast cells . Intracytoplasmic, eosinophilic inclusion bodies are found in the epidermal cells.

In humans, the disease is mostly mild with pox-like skin lesions. However, there have also been some fatal infections in immune-incompetent people.

treatment

A causal therapy is not yet possible, and a vaccine has not been approved. Treatment includes palliative measures such as increasing the immune system by Paraimmunitätsinducer and antiseptic treatment of skin lesions.

Reporting requirement

In Germany, mammalian pox (orthopox infection) is a reportable animal disease in many mammals (including cats) according to Section 26 of the Animal Health Act in conjunction with Section 1 and number 21 of the Annex to the Ordinance on Reportable Animal Diseases .

literature

  • Katrin Hartmann: Virus infections . In: Marian C. Horzinek et al. (Ed.): Diseases of the cat . Enke, 4th edition, 2005, pp. 107-155. ISBN 3-8304-1049-2
  • Anton Mayr: Danger to humans and animals from smallpox infection in cats. In: Small Animal Practice . 37: 369-374 (1992).
  • S. Essbauer and H. Meyer: Genus Orthopoxvirus: Cowpox virus. In: AA Mercer et al. (Ed.): Poxviruses. Birkhäuser Advances in Infectious Diseases . Birkhäuser Verlag Berlin 2007, pp. 75–88.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Dietrich von Bomhard et al .: On the epidemiology, clinic, pathology and virology of the cat smallpox infection. In: Kleintierpraxis 37 (1992), pp. 219-230.
  2. ^ D. von Bomhard et al .: Two cases of smallpox infections in cats. In: Kleintierpraxis 34 (1989), p. 157.
  3. ↑ Dietrich von Bomhard et al .: Case report: Catpox infection as a zoonosis for dogs and humans. In: Kleintierpraxis 36 (1991), pp. 511-514.
  4. ↑ B. Bonnekoh et al .: Cowpox infection transmitted from a domestic cat. In: J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2008 Mar; 6 (3): 210-3. Epub 2008 Jan 14. PMID 18201221
  5. ↑ AM Eis-Hübiger et al .: Fatal cowpox-like virus infection transmitted by a cat. In: Lancet i (1990), p. 880.
  6. ↑ Notifiable animal diseases. Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), August 2, 2019, accessed on March 16, 2020 .