Orf and workers

For infection of humans with Orf, direct contact with animals or their products is required. Person to person spread is unknown Contact with an animal or its remains (or wool) are required for infection Agricultural and abbatoir workers and vets are at risk. Only workers on farms infected with Orf should receive the vaccine.

The incubation period is 3-6 days and the human illness may last 3-6 weeks and be self limiting.  Serious pathology can occur with eye infection and contagion in the immunocompromised.  One percent topical cidofovir has been successfully used in a few patients with progressive disease.  The virus can survive in the soil for at least six months: A fact that gives rise to one of the diseases alias thistle disease (as the virus is capable of infecting humans and cattle through the sting of a thistle leaf). Orf is a parapox virus.  Pox vira examples are smallpox, vaccinia virus, cowpox virus, monkeypox virus;  Parapox vira are : orf virus, pseudocowpox, bovine stomatitis virus;