vaccinia

An infection, primarily local and limited to the site of inoculation, induced in humans by inoculation with the v. virus, type species in the genus Orthopoxvirus (family Poxviridae) in order to confer resistance to smallpox. On about the third day after this vaccination, papules form at the site of inoculation which become transformed into umbilicated vesicles and later pustules; they then dry up, and the scab falls off on about the 21st day, leaving a pitted scar; in some cases there are more or less marked constitutional disturbances. Because of the global elimination of smallpox, routine vaccination is not now practiced. SYN: primary reaction, vaccina, variola vaccine, variola v., variola v.. [L. vaccinus, relating to a cow, fr. vacca, a cow]

- v. gangrenosa SYN: progressive v..

- generalized v. secondary lesions of the skin following vaccination that may occur in subjects with previously healthy skin but are more common in the case of traumatized skin, especially in the case of eczema (eczema vaccinatum). In the latter instance, generalized v. may result from mere contact with a vaccinated person. Secondary vaccinial lesions may also occur following transfer of virus from the vaccination to another site by means of the fingers.

- progressive v. a severe or even fatal form of v. occurring chiefly in subjects with an immunologic deficiency or dyscrasia and characterized by progressive enlargement of the initial and also of secondary lesions. SYN: v. gangrenosa.

- variola v. SYN: v..

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vac·cin·ia vak-'sin-ē-ə n

1 a) COWPOX

b) a reaction to smallpox vaccine prepared from live vaccinia virus that may involve a rash, fever, headache, and body pain

2) a poxvirus of the genus Orthopoxvirus (species Vaccinia virus) that differs from but is closely related to the viruses causing smallpox and cowpox and that includes a strain of uncertain natural origin used in making vaccines against smallpox called also vaccinia virus

vac·cin·i·al -ē-əl adj

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n.

see cowpox

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vac·cin·ia (vak-sinґe-ə) [L., from vacca cow] the cutaneous and sometimes systemic reactions associated with vaccination with smallpox vaccine. Cf. cowpox and paravaccinia. vaccinial adj