Nodulo del mungitore da parapox virus : un case report

This paper reports a case of “Milker’s Nodule” observed in a young male working as cow milkier since 1993. He come to our attention for a medical examination performed in the frame of a program of periodical health surveillance at the workplace. During patient’s examination, it was noticed a cm. 1 x 1 papule at the 4th finger of the right hand, characterized by light rose-yellowish color, surrounded by an erythematous area. The clinical hypothesis of parapox virus infection was made based on lesion’s characteristic, lesion’s site and occupational risk of the patient. In particular, parapox virus’s lesions were observed in some cattle’s breasts by the medical veterinary of the agricultural enterprise in which the worker was employed. Since the diagnosis was quite clear at this stage, and the prognosis was in any case good, taking into account also differential hypotheses, we avoided performing invasive diagnostic procedures (parapoxviris’s PCR primers detection in a biopsy sample). A compatible recovery period confirmed the diagnosis. Preventive measures are firstly represented by safe working modalities, taking into account both animals and animal breeders. The collaboration occupational health physician-veterinary is fundamental in animal breeding sector either for prevention or for raising diagnoses of occupational zoonoses.