Progressive vaccinia

Progressive Vaccinia

Progressive vaccinia (prəˈɡrɛsɪv vəkˈsɪniə) is a rare and severe complication that can occur following vaccination with the smallpox vaccine. It is also known as vaccinia necrosum, vaccinia gangrenosum or disseminated vaccinia.

Etymology

The term progressive vaccinia is derived from the Latin progressus meaning "advance" and vaccinia referring to the vaccine used to prevent smallpox. The condition is so named because it involves a progressive, often fatal, course of uncontrolled virus multiplication at the site of vaccination.

Symptoms

The symptoms of progressive vaccinia include a non-healing skin lesion at the site of vaccination, which progressively enlarges and may become necrotic. Other symptoms can include fever, malaise, and lymphadenopathy.

Causes

Progressive vaccinia is caused by the vaccinia virus, which is used in the smallpox vaccine. It is most likely to occur in individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or those receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

Treatment

Treatment for progressive vaccinia includes antiviral drugs such as cidofovir and immunoglobulin therapy. In severe cases, hospitalization may be required.

Related Terms

• Vaccinia
• Smallpox
• Vaccine
• Immunosuppression
• Antiviral drug
• Immunoglobulin therapy

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Progressive vaccinia
• Wikipedia's article - Progressive vaccinia

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski