[Generalized monkeypox in orally infected rabbits and white mice].

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.