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Ectomelia virus is a highly infectious disease in mice caused by the Ectomelia virus. This virus belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the poxviruses family, and is mainly transmitted through skin wounds, digestive tract, and respiratory tract. There are significant differences in susceptibility among different strains of mice. The clinical manifestations are divided into acute lethal type, subacute cutaneous type, and chronic type, with typical symptoms including necrosis and detachment of limbs and tails, liver and spleen necrosis, etc. Mouse pox virus (ECTV) is a large double stranded DNA virus belonging to the family Poxviridae and genus Orthopoxvirus. It is the pathogen of mouse pox, a deadly acute toxic disease with a high mortality rate in most laboratory mouse strains. The virus was first discovered in 1930, when mice were first used as animal models (Marchal 1930). It has long been endemic in laboratory mouse populations in Europe, Japan, and China, and later spread to the United States. So far, GenBank has included complete genome sequences of four ECTV strains.
Figure 1. Ectromelia Virus. (Gregorczyk K P, et al, 2018)
Ectromelia Virus belongs to the family Poxvirudae and genus Orthopoxvirus. The virus particles have a brick shaped structure with a diameter of 230 × 170 nanometers and a double-layer lipid outer membrane. The genome is double stranded DNA, sensitive to ether and chloroform, and can proliferate in the chicken embryo trophoblast membrane. Strong environmental resistance, can survive for more than 1 year in dry scabs, and can only be inactivated by heating at 60 ℃ for 30 minutes. Native Ectromelia Virus Antigen is a key component derived from the viral structure that plays a crucial role in serological diagnosis and vaccine development.
The pathogenicity of ECTV is not only the result of cytolytic virus replication, but also driven by its complex immune regulatory protein library. The key to its virulence lies in the targeted disruption of the host's innate immune signaling pathways, particularly the NF - κ B and TNF pathways, which are at the core of initiating pro-inflammatory and antiviral responses. After the host cell enters, ECTV immediately deploys viral proteins that mimic or interfere with cellular components to suppress immune alarms. One main strategy is to disrupt the SCF (Skp1, Cullin-1, F-box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex, which is crucial for the activation of NF - κ B transcription factors.
ECTV is divided into the subfamily Chordavirinae and the genus Orthopoxvirus. In terms of morphology, it exhibits a brick like structure unique to poxvirus, measuring approximately 200-300nm in length and 100-200nm in width. The viral particle consists of a central core containing a linear double stranded DNA genome (approximately 200kb in size) surrounded by a lipoprotein envelope derived from the host cell. This genome encodes over 200 open reading frames (ORFs), which are responsible for virus replication, virulence, and evasion of the host immune system. The highly conserved nature of key ORFs in orthopoxvirus forms the basis for cross reactive immune responses and the development of broad-spectrum antiviral strategies.
Clinical signs are dependent on the mouse strain. In acute disease, there is high morbidity and high mortality with affected animals exhibiting hunched posture, conjunctivitis and facial swelling. Subacute to chronically infected animals develop a cutaneous vesicular body rash which often progresses to swelling, necrosis and sloughing of the extremities. Deaths are sporadic.
Histologic lesions include massive splenic, lymph node, thymic and hepatic necrosis, small intestinal mucosal erosions, and cytoplasmic inclusions in the skin and liver. Although clinical and gross lesions are suggestive of the disease, histological demonstration of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in epithelial cells surrounding vesicular skin ulcers in small intestinal and pancreatic cells is helpful to confirm the diagnosis.
In order to prevent the colony from being infected with anemia virus, it is necessary to regularly test the colony and monitor the health status of the mice. In order to eradicate the virus from the population, isolation measures must be established and reproduction must be stopped. Getting vaccinated can also help eliminate the problem of viral infections. Animal rooms must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, preferably using gaseous formalin or vaporized hydrogen peroxide. The Ectomelia virus can survive in the bloodstream for 11 days at room temperature. All other animal housing materials should be disposed of as hazardous waste (incineration) or high-pressure sterilization. High pressure sterilization, formalin treatment, and ordinary disinfectants can inactivate Ebola virus, as can drying or detergents.
Ectomelia virus is a potent pathogen, and its lethality stems from precise coevolution with mouse hosts. Its extensive immune regulatory protein toolkit directly targets core signaling hubs such as the NF - κ B pathway and TNF system (via CrmD), enabling it to alleviate innate immunity and determine disease outcomes. This makes ECTV not only a significant threat to the integrity of biomedical research, but also a valuable model for analyzing the complex interactions between viruses and host immune systems, with broader implications for understanding poxvirus diseases and developing antiviral strategies.
ECTV is the primary animal model for studying the pathogenesis and immune response of smallpox virus, as it shares striking similarities with smallpox virus and exhibits clear host pathogen interactions in mice. The use of ECTV research has made significant contributions to our understanding of virus immune evasion strategies, the roles of innate and adaptive immunity in controlling poxvirus infection, and the development of new vaccines and antiviral drugs. In addition, ECTV infection in mice has been used to simulate autoimmune diseases and inflammatory responses, further expanding its use beyond virological research. Continuing to study ECTV is crucial for preventing potential outbreaks of orthopoxvirus and improving our understanding of host virus interactions.
Reference
| Target | Cat. No. | Product Name | Host | |
| ECTV | DAG-WT3379 | Native Ectromelia Virus Antigen | N/A | Inquiry |
| DAG-WT5876 | Ectromelia virus Stock (Qualitative) | N/A | Inquiry |
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