Poxvirus pathogenesis and immunity

痘病毒由一个复杂的DNA病毒大家族组成，这些病毒有脊椎动物和无脊椎动物的宿主。天花病毒和传染性软疣病毒是人类特有的病原体。在天花被根除之前，天花病毒一直是天花的原因，但由于可能使用生物武器，人们仍然担心天花病毒。传染性软骨病病毒会导致免疫能力正常的婴儿的良性皮肤损害，以及免疫缺陷的成年人的一种更严重和更广泛的疾病。此外，几种动物痘病毒可以作为人畜共患病传播给人类。其中最严重的是猴痘，估计人类死亡率约为10%。痘病毒表达大量与毒力有关的宿主免疫逃避基因。本项目的目的是增加我们对痘病毒发病机制的了解，并为进一步研究痘病毒的免疫机制奠定基础。

Poxviruses comprise a large family of complex DNA viruses that have vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Two poxviruses, variola virus and molluscum contagiosum virus, are specific human pathogens. Variola virus was the cause of smallpox until the latter was eradicated but is still feared because of potential use a biological weapon. Molluscum contagiosum virus causes benign skin lesions in immunocompetent infants and a more severe and widespread disease in immunodeficient adults. In addition, several animal poxviruses can be transmitted to humans as zoonosis. The most serious of these is monkeypox, which has an estimated human mortality of about 10%. The poxviruses express a large number of host immune evasion genes that contribute to virulence. The purpose of this project is to increase our understanding of poxvirus pathogenesis and the basis for immunity to poxviruses.