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Pathogens
Special Issues
Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology
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Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 6715

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Magdalena Materniak-Kornas

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Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Interests: molecular diagnostics; serological diagnostics; ruminant retroviruses; transcriptomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marzena Rola-Łuszczak

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Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Interests: molecular and serological diagnosis of infection with ruminant retroviruses; transcriptomic study
Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Woźniakowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Biochemistry, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
2. Department of Diagnosis and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Veteterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Interests: serological and molecular diagnostics of viral diseases in domestic animals; seroepidemiology; antivirals; prevention strategies of infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Achievements and failures of the modern world like globalization, urbanization, climate change, and ecological disruption, together with the adaptable nature of viruses, pose new threats like the emergence and spread of new viruses or the re-emergence of already known pathogens. These phenomena are a great challenge to the modern veterinary virology. However, currently new technologies and concepts allow novel approaches in diagnostics and multifactorial analyses of pathogens' biology as well as give better insight in their interaction with the host. All these efforts lead to a better understanding of viral pathogenesis, providing the key knowledge for the development of  new prevention or treatment strategies.

This Special Issue is dedicated to recent research in the field of animal viruses. We cordially invite scientists to contribute their original studies, communications, or review articles focused on the following:

  • Diagnostics;
  • Pathogenesis;
  • (Immuno)pathology;
  • Epidemiology;
  • Virus–host interactions;
  • Omics and metabolomics aspects;
  • Virus evolution;
  • Prophylaxis and prevention strategies;
  • Zoonotic potential.

Dr. Magdalena Materniak-Kornas
Dr. Marzena Rola-Łuszczak
Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Woźniakowski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • virus
  • veterinary
  • diagnostics
  • host interaction
  • epidemiology
  • evolution

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 5734 KiB  
Article
The Requirement of Turkey Herpesvirus (HVT) Glycoprotein C During Natural Infection in Chickens and Turkeys
by Huai Xu, Widaliz Vega-Rodriguez, Kathrine Van Etten and Keith Jarosinski
Pathogens 2025, 14(6), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14060538 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 278
Abstract
The glycoprotein C (gC) of gallid alphaherpesvirus 2—better known as Marek’s disease (MD) virus (MDV)—and gallid alphaherpesvirus 3 is required for horizontal transmission in chickens. Since gC is conserved within the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, we hypothesized that gC was also essential for the horizontal [...] Read more.
The glycoprotein C (gC) of gallid alphaherpesvirus 2—better known as Marek’s disease (MD) virus (MDV)—and gallid alphaherpesvirus 3 is required for horizontal transmission in chickens. Since gC is conserved within the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, we hypothesized that gC was also essential for the horizontal transmission of meleagrid alphaherpesvirus 1 (MeAHV1) or turkey herpesvirus (HVT). To test this hypothesis, we generated a fluorescent protein-tagged clone of recombinant (r)HVT (vHVT47G), removed the open reading frame of HVT gC from the genome (vHΔgC), and rescued the deletion by inserting an HA-epitope tagged HVT gC (vHΔgC-R) to test their ability to transmit in chickens and turkeys. We also tested whether MDV gC could compensate for HVT gC during transmission, where HVT gC was replaced with MDV gC (vH-MDVgC). Although all viruses replicated in chickens, none spread from chicken to chicken. However, when tested in turkeys, all viruses except vHΔgC transmitted from turkey to turkey. Importantly, the rescuent virus (vHΔgC-R) and HVT expressing MDV gC (vH-MDVgC) rescued transmission, showing that HVT gC is required and MDV gC can compensate for HVT gC for turkey-to-turkey transmission. These data confirm the host-specific transmission of HVT in turkeys and suggest that the essential function of alphaherpesvirus gC proteins is conserved. This information can be exploited while generating future vaccines against MD that will affect the poultry industry worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
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13 pages, 1378 KiB  
Article
Discovery and Genomic Characterisation of Novel Papillomaviruses in Australian Wild Birds
by Subir Sarker, Vasilli Kasimov, Md. Mizanur Rahaman, Babu Kanti Nath and Martina Jelocnik
Pathogens 2025, 14(6), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14060514 - 22 May 2025
Viewed by 309
Abstract
Papillomaviruses are small, circular DNA viruses that infect epithelial and mucosal cells, which have co-evolved with their hosts over time. While certain mammalian papillomaviruses—especially those linked to disease—are well studied, there is limited knowledge about papillomaviruses associated with avian species. In this study, [...] Read more.
Papillomaviruses are small, circular DNA viruses that infect epithelial and mucosal cells, which have co-evolved with their hosts over time. While certain mammalian papillomaviruses—especially those linked to disease—are well studied, there is limited knowledge about papillomaviruses associated with avian species. In this study, we identified two avian papillomaviruses from eye/choana swabs of the sacred kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) and the little corella (Cacatua sanguinea), collected in Queensland, Australia. The genomes of these viruses, designated as todiramphus sanctus papillomavirus 1 (TsPV1) and cacatua sanguinea papillomavirus 1 (CsPV1), were found to be 7883 and 7825 base pairs in length, respectively. The TsPV1 and CsPV1 genomes exhibited the highest nucleotide sequence identity (>56%) with papillomavirus genomes previously sequenced from mallards or wild ducks in the United States, followed by those from black-legged kittiwakes and Atlantic puffins (>54%) in Newfoundland, Canada. Both TsPV1 and CsPV1 share approximately a 65% nucleotide sequence identity in the L1 gene with anas platyrhynchos papillomavirus 3 (AplaPV3), indicating that they represent novel avian papillomaviruses. Notably, the two genomes in this study were nearly identical (99.69%), and their L1 proteins shared 100% sequence identity. Phylogenetic analysis positioned TsPV1 and CsPV1 within a clade of avian papillomaviruses associated with closely related avian hosts, including the mallard, African grey parrot, common chaffinch, and Atlantic canary. These findings underscore the importance of further research on studying additional Australian bird species longitudinally, which will help to establish potential disease associations and ecological impacts of previously unrecognised and novel papillomaviruses in Australian wild birds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
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11 pages, 1393 KiB  
Communication
First Molecular Detection of Porcine Cytomegalovirus (PCMV) and Porcine Lymphotropic Herpesvirus (PLHV) in Domestic Pigs in Poland
by Piotr Cybulski, Wojciech Socha, Artur Jabłoński, Radosław Kondratiuk, Weronika Rybkowska, Tomasz Stadejek and Magdalena Larska
Pathogens 2025, 14(4), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14040396 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 806
Abstract
Contrary to extensively studied porcine alphaherpesvirus (SuHV-1/PRV), betaherpesvirus (SuHV-2/PCMV) and Gammaherpesvirinae (SuHV-3/PLHV-1, SuHV-4/PLHV-2, SuHV-5/PLHV-3) infections remain unexplored in the swine population in Poland. The aim of this study was to characterise the prevalence of infections and local strains from each major herpesvirus subfamily [...] Read more.
Contrary to extensively studied porcine alphaherpesvirus (SuHV-1/PRV), betaherpesvirus (SuHV-2/PCMV) and Gammaherpesvirinae (SuHV-3/PLHV-1, SuHV-4/PLHV-2, SuHV-5/PLHV-3) infections remain unexplored in the swine population in Poland. The aim of this study was to characterise the prevalence of infections and local strains from each major herpesvirus subfamily on a large-scale weaner farm located in Poland. Nasal swabs collected from pigs at 6, 8 and 10 weeks of age were tested for the presence of herpesvirus infections using nested PCR specific to the pan-herpesvirus DNA polymerase (DPol) gene. The amplicons obtained from the positive samples were sequenced using the Sanger method. In total, 60% of the pigs were positive for herpesviruses, including 35.6% for porcine cytomegalovirus (SuHV-2/PCMV) and 24.4% for porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus type 1 (SuHV-3/PLHV-1). The infection rate was lowest in 6-week-old pigs—20% (6.7%—PCMV, 13.3%—PLHV-1) in comparison to 8-week-old—80% (53.3%—PCMV, 26.7% PLHV-1)—and 10-week-old pigs—80% (46.7%—PCMV, 33.3%—PLHV-1). No correlation between PCMV and PLHV-1 infections and coinfections with IAV, PRV1 or PRRSV was observed. Sequence analysis of both PLHV-1 and PCMV showed high genetic uniformity. Additionally, PLHV-1 isolates showed a close relationship to strains isolated from wild boar in Poland and pigs in Germany in recent years. In summary, our study confirmed the presence of both PLHV-1 and PCMV infections occurring early in piglet development, probably after passive immunity cessation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
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Review

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31 pages, 398 KiB  
Review
Encephalomyocarditis Virus in Non-Domesticated Species
by Remco A. Nederlof, Bon-sang Koo, Cecilia Sierra Arqueros, Leonor Natividad Camacho Sillero, Francis Vercammen and Jaco Bakker
Pathogens 2025, 14(4), 397; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14040397 - 20 Apr 2025
Viewed by 425
Abstract
Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) causes sporadic and epizootic outbreaks among various domesticated and non-domesticated animal species worldwide. Although outbreaks are mostly reported in domestic pigs, mortality is reported in elephants, ungulates, nonhuman primates (NHPs), and rodents. Rats of the genus Rattus serve as primary [...] Read more.
Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) causes sporadic and epizootic outbreaks among various domesticated and non-domesticated animal species worldwide. Although outbreaks are mostly reported in domestic pigs, mortality is reported in elephants, ungulates, nonhuman primates (NHPs), and rodents. Rats of the genus Rattus serve as primary reservoirs and vectors, but alternative infection routes have been proposed. Clinical disease is characterized by acute heart failure in most taxonomic groups, often culminating in rapid death. Due to the rapid progression of the disease, diagnostic confirmation is most commonly obtained postmortem. Pathological examination reveals interstitial lymphohistiocytic myocarditis and multiorgan congestion in most cases. EMCV is often demonstrated with RT-PCR or virus isolation techniques, but other methods, e.g., serology and immunohistochemistry, are available. The rapid progression of EMCV precludes effective therapeutic intervention, though agents such as interferon, verapamil, and curcumol have shown potential efficacy. Preventative strategies are crucial, emphasizing biosecurity measures to mitigate rodent contamination of feed and water. Inactivated vaccines have demonstrated protective efficacy in experimental models involving mice, pigs, and elephants, with analogous immunogenic responses observed in various zoological species. Live attenuated vaccines have conferred protection in pigs and NHPs, albeit with variable seroconversion rates in different species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
21 pages, 6589 KiB  
Review
Papillomaviruses and Papillomaviral Disease in Dogs and Cats: A Comprehensive Review
by John S. Munday and Cameron G. Knight
Pathogens 2024, 13(12), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13121057 - 1 Dec 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3841
Abstract
Papillomaviruses (PVs) frequently infect humans as well as non-human species. While most PV infections are asymptomatic, PVs can also cause hyperplastic papillomas (warts) as well as pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions. In this review, the life cycle of PVs is discussed, along with the [...] Read more.
Papillomaviruses (PVs) frequently infect humans as well as non-human species. While most PV infections are asymptomatic, PVs can also cause hyperplastic papillomas (warts) as well as pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions. In this review, the life cycle of PVs is discussed, along with the mechanisms by which PVs cause hyperplastic and neoplastic diseases. The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to PVs are reviewed, giving context to the later discussion on the use of vaccines to reduce canine and feline PV-associated disease. Both dogs and cats are infected by numerous different PV types classified into multiple different PV genera. The taxonomic classification of PVs is reviewed, along with the significance of this classification. The PV-associated diseases of dogs and cats are then described. These descriptions include the clinical presentation of the disease, the causative PV types, the histological features that allow diagnosis, and, where appropriate, possible treatment options. The review is comprehensive and contains the latest information about PVs and the diseases they cause in dogs and cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
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Other

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18 pages, 4191 KiB  
Brief Report
Investigation of the Pathogenesis of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus in Indigenous Cattle in Kazakhstan
by Lespek Kutumbetov, Ainur Ragatova, Moldir Azanbekova, Balzhan Myrzakhmetova, Nurbek Aldayarov, Kuandyk Zhugunissov, Yergali Abduraimov, Raikhan Nissanova, Asylay Sarzhigitova, Nazerke Kemalova and Arman Issimov
Pathogens 2025, 14(6), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14060577 - 10 Jun 2025
Abstract
This study investigates the virulence properties and pathogenetic characteristics of the Kazakhstani strain of LSDV (LSDV KZ-Kostanay-2018) in indigenous cattle under controlled conditions. Twelve non-breed cattle were inoculated intradermally and monitored for clinical, pathological, and immunological responses. Clinical signs, including fever, skin nodules, [...] Read more.
This study investigates the virulence properties and pathogenetic characteristics of the Kazakhstani strain of LSDV (LSDV KZ-Kostanay-2018) in indigenous cattle under controlled conditions. Twelve non-breed cattle were inoculated intradermally and monitored for clinical, pathological, and immunological responses. Clinical signs, including fever, skin nodules, and lymphadenopathy, emerged as early as day 5 post-infection (pi), with peak severity observed between days 11 and 14. Rapid seroconversion was observed, with 100% of animals showing virus-neutralizing antibodies by day 13. Pathological findings revealed extensive necrosis, thrombosis, and edema, with pronounced damage in the spleen, lungs, and lymph nodes. Histological analyses identified widespread destructive changes in the dermis and systemic tissues, consistent with highly aggressive disease progression. Viral genome and replication were confirmed in blood, skin nodules, and lymph nodes, with peak viral loads between days 11 and 14 pi. These results align with findings in Russian cattle infected with the Saratov/2017 strain but demonstrate more rapid symptom onset and severe pathology, suggesting strain-specific virulence. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of LSDV pathogenesis and underscore the importance of regional adaptations in disease management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
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24 pages, 1931 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Bovine Pestivirus Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Latin America
by Blanca Lisseth Guzmán Barragán, Isac Roman, Yessica Lorena Guzmán and Fernando Vicosa Bauermann
Pathogens 2025, 14(6), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14060530 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 414
Abstract
Bovine pestiviruses, namely bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and HoBi-like pestiviruses (HoBiPevs), are endemic viruses in Latin America, and the disease causes significant losses in the agricultural sector. The present review aims to perform a systematic assessment and meta-analysis of the prevalence of [...] Read more.
Bovine pestiviruses, namely bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and HoBi-like pestiviruses (HoBiPevs), are endemic viruses in Latin America, and the disease causes significant losses in the agricultural sector. The present review aims to perform a systematic assessment and meta-analysis of the prevalence of bovine pestiviruses in Latin America and their risk factors. Notable heterogeneity was observed in the analyzed groups, with significant prevalence variations based on age and country. However, no differences were found between temporal trends, production systems, or models. Identified risk factors included age, breed, location, reproductive practices, animal purchase, farm management, and biosecurity measures. This systematic review and meta-analysis of BVDV in Latin America provides critical insights to inform decision-making and strategic actions for disease control in the region. The high serological prevalence of bovine pestivirus across Latin America underscores the urgent need for standardized surveillance programs, biosecurity reinforcement, and targeted vaccination strategies. The presence of HoBiPev further complicates current diagnostic and control measures. Future research should focus on disease transmission dynamics, economic impact assessments, and the effectiveness of intervention programs tailored to the region’s diverse livestock production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges in Veterinary Virology)
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