The purpose of this volume is to highlight the current areas of poxvirus research and to project a forward-looking view of the areas which are likely to be the most fruitful and the most innovative in the upcoming few years. The areas covered include poxvirus genetics, DNA replication, transcription, pathogenesis, immunology, and posttranslational modification of proteins. Many of these aspects are reviewed for the first time, the others have not been reviewed for at least five years; it is this view to the future that makes this book unique.