Shchelukhina E M, Marennikova S S
Vopr Virusol. 1975 Nov-Dec(6):703-5.
In the past 5 years 17 human cases of monkeypox with 4 deaths were reported in African countries. The source and the mechanism of transmission of the infection are unknown. One of the possible modes of human infection could be through monkey meat used for food. The paper presents the results of the study of susceptibility of 4 species of laboratory animals to monkeypox virus given orally. Adult rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters were found to be resistant. Ten-day-old rabbits and 8-, 10- and 12-day-old mice developed generalized infection with eruptions and high lethality. The infection was transmitted to uninfected rabbits of the same litter, apparently by air-borne droplet mode. The obtained model of generalized monkeypox infection after per os administration of the virus and the fact of air-borne droplet transmission of infection may serve as indirect evidence of the possibility of transmission of the infection by this mode in nature.
在过去5年中，非洲国家报告了17例人类猴痘病例，其中4例死亡。感染源和传播机制尚不清楚。人类感染的一种可能途径可能是食用猴肉。本文介绍了4种实验动物经口感染猴痘病毒的易感性研究结果。发现成年兔、豚鼠和仓鼠具有抗性。10日龄的兔以及8日龄、10日龄和12日龄的小鼠发生了全身性感染，出现皮疹且致死率很高。感染显然通过空气飞沫传播方式传染给了同窝未感染的兔子。经口给予病毒后获得的全身性猴痘感染模型以及感染通过空气飞沫传播这一事实，可作为该感染在自然界中通过这种方式传播可能性的间接证据。
