Orf virus infection in human ecthyma contagiosum: a report of two cases in the West of Iran.

Ecthyma contagiosum is caused by the orf virus, a member of the genus Parapoxvirus in the family Poxviridae. Humans acquire the infection from contact with infected or recently vaccinated animals in conjunction with skin trauma. In this study, we report two cases of orf infection in two women who had contact with animals. Diagnosis was based, apart from the clinical signs, on histological examination, virus isolation using fetal bovine esophagus cells, electron microscopy and PCR.