Genetic determinants of resistance to ectromelia (mousepox) virus-induced mortality

Abstract
Resistance to ectromelia (mousepox) virus-induced mortality was examined in crosses between susceptible DBA/2J, AJ and BALB/cByJ mice and resistant C57BL/6J and AKR/J mice. Depending on the cross, resistance to mousepox virus was shown to be determined by 1 independently assorting autosomal loci with dominant alleles for resistance in AKR/J and C57BL/6J mice and recessive alleles in A/J, BALB/cByJ, and DBA/2J mice. A sexual dimorphism in resistance to disease was also observed.