[Clinical findings and diagnosis of a severs parapoxvirus epidemic in Finnish reindeer].

During the winter of 1992/93 a parapox epidemic in reindeer occurred in the southern and central areas of Finland which killed 400 animals and 2750 animals showed clinical symptoms. At least ten cases of human infections and disease were reported. In addition to the uncertain epidemiology, the diagnosis using conventional methods was difficult and time consuming. Based upon published sequence data of the parapoxvirus (PPV) ovis prototype strain NZ-2, two different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocols were performed. The detection of a PPV specific nucleotide sequence encoding a region of the 42 kD major envelope protein proved to be reproducible. DNA extraction from scab samples was not absolutely necessary prior to the PCR procedure. PCR for the detection of PPV infection can be recommended as a flanking diagnostic method, especially when electron microscopy shows negative results. PCR may be a useful method to differentiate sheep-poxvirus and to reveal epidemiology and identity of new PPV isolates.