Ectromelia virus
Encyclopedia
Ectromelia virus is a virus
of the family Poxviridae
and the genus Orthopoxvirus
that causes mousepox, a disease of mice
. It has only been seen in mouse colonies kept for research purposes. Mousepox causes skin lesions and generalized disease, which can be fatal. It is the only poxvirus to cause disease naturally in mice.
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
of the family Poxviridae
Poxviridae
Poxviruses are viruses that can, as a family, infect both vertebrate and invertebrate animals.Four genera of poxviruses may infect humans: orthopox, parapox, yatapox, molluscipox....
and the genus Orthopoxvirus
Orthopoxvirus
Orthopoxvirus is a genus of poxviruses that includes many species isolated from mammals, such as Camelpox virus, Cowpox virus, Ectromelia virus, Monkeypox virus, and Volepox virus, which causes mousepox. The most famous member of the genus is Variola virus, which causes smallpox...
that causes mousepox, a disease of mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
. It has only been seen in mouse colonies kept for research purposes. Mousepox causes skin lesions and generalized disease, which can be fatal. It is the only poxvirus to cause disease naturally in mice.