|Group:||Group I (dsDNA)| Parapoxviruses belong to the
Poxviridae family. Like all members of that family, they are
oval, relatively large, double-stranded DNA viruses.
Parapoxviruses have a unique spiral coat that distinguishes them
from other poxviruses. Parapoxviruses infect vertebrates. The
most recent species of parapoxviruses has been found in New
Zealand Red Deer. There are also some tentative species in the
genus, including Auzduk disease virus, Chamois contagious
ecthyma virus, and Sealpox virus. Parapoxviruses cause infection
of cows, sheep, goats, and red squirrels worldwide. They tend to
cause lesions that range in size depending on the case. Between
1990 and 1995, there was a mean of 15 cases reported annually.
This is a significant decline from the annual mean of 46 cases
between 1968 and 1978. Some authors believe that the infection
is much more common than reported, as it may not appear to be a
serious infection. Seasonal fluctuations  Most reports indicate
a higher frequency of human infectio