Genetic characterization of orf viruses isolated from various ruminant species of a zoo

In the present study, an outbreak of proliferative dermatitis in musk ox (Ovibos moschatus), Sichuan takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana) and domestic Shetland sheep (Ovis aries) in a zoo is described. Skin lesions consisted of severe, persistent, multifocal, proliferative dermatitis in musk ox, and mild, transient, focal, dermatitis in the Sichuan takin and Shetland sheep. Parapoxviruses were isolated from skin lesions, and characterized by restriction enzyme analysis and partial gene sequencing. The results of this investigation indicate that the outbreak of proliferative dermatitis was due to infection by a single parapoxvirus, which is genetically closely related to other orf virus (ORFV) strains but distant to bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV) and pseudocowpox virus (PCPV).