Immunity to adenoviruses is primarily humoral. Einarsson et al. found slightly increased IL-11 elaboration in airway stromal cells. Mouse adenovirus infection, while uncommon, may interfere with a variety of studies, particularly those involving the CNS, renal, and gastrointestinal systems. Ectromelia virus is the causative agent of mousepox. It is a dsDNA virus in the family Poxviridae.
Mice are the natural hosts.
Rats may be transiently infected only experimentally. Reports of natural infection in laboratory mice have become rare in the United States but continue to be common in Europe. However, clinical mousepox was recently reported in mice at a U.S. government facility. The mice had been injected with contaminated, commercially produced pooled mouse serum. Serologic surveys conducted in the United States occasionally reveal seropositive mice, further confirming that the agent is present.