[Ecthyma contagiosum epidemics in Turkey].

In the years 1979 and 1980 after the religious holidays of the "Feast of Sacrifice" in Izmir (Turkey), there was an epidemic-type of outbreak of 31 cases of ecthyma contagiosum. On the occasion of the sacrificial feast day the amateur butchers, their helpers, housewives, and others came into direct contact with virus-infected parts and were infected with the ecthyma contagiosum virus, which includes the paravaccinia group.