Poxviridae

noun plural

Pox·​vi·​ri·​dae ˌpäks-ˈvir-ə-ˌdē How to pronounce Poxviridae (audio)
: a family of large brick-shaped or ovoid double-stranded DNA viruses that have a fluffy appearance caused by a covering of tubules and threads and that include the vaccinia virus and the causative agents of cowpox, fowl pox, molluscum contagiosum, monkeypox, mousepox, myxomatosis of rabbits, sheep pox, smallpox, sore mouth of sheep, and swine pox

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Cite this Entry

“Poxviridae.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/Poxviridae. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

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