Phylogenetic analysis of Croatian orf viruses isolated from sheep and goats

Ivana Lojkic,Tomislav Bedekovic,Zeljko Cac,Zeljko Cvetnic,Branko Sostaric,Ana Beck

doi:10.1186/1743-422x-7-314

Ivana Lojkic, Tomislav Bedekovic + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-422x-7-314

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Abstract

BackgroundThe Orf virus (ORFV) is the prototype of the parapoxvirus genus and it primarily causes contagious ecthyma in goats, sheep, and other ruminants worldwide. In this paper, we described the sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the B2L gene of ORFV from two natural outbreaks: i) in autochthonous Croatian Cres-breed sheep and ii) on small family goat farm.ResultsSequence and phylogenetic analyses of the ORFV B2L gene showed that the Cro-Cres-12446/09 and Cro-Goat-11727/10 were not clustered together. Cro-Cres-12446/09 shared the highest similarity with ORFV NZ2 from New Zealand, and Ena from Japan; Cro-Goat-11727/10 was closest to the HuB from China and Taiping and Hoping from Taiwan.ConclusionDistinct ORFV strains are circulating in Croatia. Although ORFV infections are found ubiquitously wherever sheep and goats are farmed in Croatia, this is the first information on genetic relatedness of any Croatian ORFV with other isolates around the world.

Highlights

The Orf virus (ORFV) is the prototype of the parapoxvirus genus and it primarily causes contagious ecthyma in goats, sheep, and other ruminants worldwide
ORFV infections are found ubiquitously wherever sheep and goats are farmed in Croatia, since 1949, when it was recorded first time [14]
We described the sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the B2L gene of ORFVs from two natural outbreaks of infection: i) in autochthonous Croatian Cres-breed sheep and ii) on small family goat farm

Summary

Introduction

The Orf virus (ORFV) is the prototype of the parapoxvirus genus and it primarily causes contagious ecthyma in goats, sheep, and other ruminants worldwide. The ORFV is the prototype of the Parapoxvirus Genus and it primarily causes contagious ecthyma in goats, sheep, and other ruminants worldwide. Spread of infection can be by direct contact or through exposure to contaminated feeding troughs and similar fomites, including wheat stubble and thorny plants. The viruses are sometimes transmissible to humans due to direct contact [1]. The ORFV is an epitheliotropic virus that generally causes proliferative and self-limiting lesions in the skin of the lips, around the nostrils, oral mucosa and sometimes affects the gums and tongue, especially in young lambs.

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