The present invention provides a recombinant pigeon pox virus synthetically modified by the presence, in a non-essential region of the pigeon pox genome, of DNA not naturally occurring in pigeon pox virus.

The recombinant poxviruses can be suitable for use as vaccines.

The vector can be a poxvirus such as an attenuated poxvirus; for instance, a NYVAC vaccinia virus or an ALVAC canarypox virus.

The invention provides methods for identifying an anti-poxviral agents.

There are two subfamilies: CHORDOPOXVIRINAE, poxviruses of vertebrates, and ENTOMOPOXVIRINAE, poxviruses of insects.

The Poxviridae has two subfamilies: Chordopoxvirinae, poxviruses of vertebrates, and Entomopoxvirinae, poxviruses of invertebrates.

The invention relates to poxviruses having reduced or increased K4 protein activity, as well as methods of making and using these poxviruses.

The vaccine vectors include poxvirus, herpes virus, and adenovirus.

Premature termination of transcription interferes with the normal transcription and termination of early phase genes of the poxviruses and results in inhibition of replication of the poxviruses.

The invention also provides methods for modulating poxvirus pathogenicity in a cell, and methods of treating an individual infected with a poxvirus.

In this application is described a poxvirus naked DNA vaccine which protects animals against poxvirus challenge comprising IMV and EEV nucleic acids from poxvirus.

Thus, the identification of small molecule inhibitors of poxvirus replication is warranted.

This invention also provides methods for inhibition of replication of poxvirus including the small poxvirus, Monkeypox virus and vaccinia virus.

The vaccine may be a recombinant poxvirus vaccine or an inactivated vaccine.

Replication of the poxvirus involves several stages.