The Global Evolutionary History of Orf Virus in Sheep and Goats Revealed by Whole Genomes Data

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 16; no. 1; p. 158
• Main Authors: Coradduzza, Elisabetta, Scarpa, Fabio, Rocchigiani, Angela Maria, Cacciotto, Carla, Lostia, Giada, Fiori, Mariangela Stefania, Rodriguez Valera, Yoel, De Pascali, Alessandra Mistral, Brandolini, Martina, Azzena, Ilenia, Locci, Chiara, Casu, Marco, Bechere, Roberto, Pintus, Davide, Ligios, Ciriaco, Scagliarini, Alessandra, Sanna, Daria, Puggioni, Giantonella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-01-2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Antibiotics; Biological Evolution; Causes of; Cell culture; Diseases; DNA viruses; Ecthyma; Ecthyma, Contagious - epidemiology; Evolutionary biology; Evolutionary genetics; G genomes; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genetic testing; Genomes; Genomics; Goats; Health aspects; Humans; Infections; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; molecular dating; Natural history; Orf; Orf virus - genetics; ORFV; phylodynamics; Phylogeny; Pyoderma; Ruminants; S genomes; Sheep; Viral infections; Virulence; Viruses; whole genome sequencing; Zoonoses; Central America; Cuba; China; United States > US; Asia; Massachusetts; Europe; Italy; Germany; whole genome sequencing; molecular dating; S genomes; phylodynamics; ORFV; G genomes
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v16010158

Orf virus (ORFV) belongs to the genus Parapoxvirus (Poxviridae family). It is the causative agent of contagious ecthyma (CE) that is an economically detrimental disease affecting small ruminants globally. Contagious ecthyma outbreaks are usually reported in intensive breeding of sheep and goats but they have also been reported in wildlife species. Notably, ORFV can infect humans, leading to a zoonotic disease. This study aims to elucidate the global evolutionary history of ORFV genomes in sheep and goats, including the first genomes from Central America in the analyses. In comparison to the last study on ORFV whole genomes, the database now includes 11 more sheep and goat genomes, representing an increase of 42%. The analysis of such a broader database made it possible to obtain a fine molecular dating of the coalescent time for ORFV S and G genomes, further highlighting the genetic structuring between sheep and goat genomes and corroborating their emergence in the latter half of 20th century.