Advances in Parapoxvirus Research: From Veterinary Infections to Public Health Implications

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1155

Special Issue Editor


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Division of High-Risk Pathogens, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Diseases Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju 28159, Republic of Korea
Interests: viral infection; molecular detection; pathogenesis; phylogenetic analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parapoxviruses, including Orf virus, Bovine papular stomatitis virus, and Pseudocowpox virus, represent zoonotic pathogens of significant veterinary and public health importance. While traditionally considered occupational hazards in shepherds, veterinarians, and abattoir workers, their zoonotic potential and cross-species transmission are increasingly recognized. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics, genomics, and immunology have provided new opportunities to better understand the epidemiology, pathogenicity, and host interactions of these viruses.

This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research on parapoxviruses, spanning veterinary infections, molecular epidemiology, genomic surveillance, diagnostic innovation, and zoonotic implications. By integrating veterinary and human health perspectives, this collection will address critical knowledge gaps and promote One Health approaches to parapoxvirus control.

Dr. Yoon-Seok Chung
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • parapoxviruses
  • zoonotic implications
  • diagnostic innovation
  • veterinary infections
  • molecular epidemiology
  • genomic surveillance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1705 KB  
Article
Unravelling the Evolutionary Complexity of Orf Virus: A Global and Multi-Host Perspective
by Giada Lostia, Chiara Locci, Angela Maria Rocchigiani, Carla Cacciotto, Mariangela Stefania Fiori, Ilenia Azzena, Yoel Rodriguez-Valera, Alessandra Mistral De Pascali, Martina Brandolini, Davide Pintus, Ciriaco Ligios, Alessandra Scagliarini, Marco Casu, Elisabetta Coradduzza, Fabio Scarpa, Daria Sanna and Giantonella Puggioni
Viruses 2026, 18(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18020222 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 710
Abstract
Orf virus (ORFV), a member of the Parapoxvirus genus, is commonly associated with a highly infectious skin disease primarily affecting sheep and goats, with a reported zoonotic potential. Initially identified in the 18th century, ORFV has been sporadically reported in other species, including [...] Read more.
Orf virus (ORFV), a member of the Parapoxvirus genus, is commonly associated with a highly infectious skin disease primarily affecting sheep and goats, with a reported zoonotic potential. Initially identified in the 18th century, ORFV has been sporadically reported in other species, including humans. The present study analyzed the genetic variability and phylodynamic patterns of ORFV using the highly variable VIR gene, focusing on global strains from multiple hosts, including various species of ruminants and humans. A dataset of 267 ORFV strains from around the world, including sequences from the understudied island of Cuba, was used for the analyses. Results revealed greater genetic variability for ORFV than previously reported. While the virus may be defined as a generalist pathogen, capable of infecting various ruminant species and less frequently humans, signs of host-specific specialization are emerging exclusively for sheep and goats. Other ruminant species and humans may be categorized as occasional hosts, with infections likely linked to habitat overlap with sheep and goats and sporadic transmission that appears influenced by specific risk factors. In conclusion, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the transmission risks posed by ORFV, highlighting the need for further investigations into its potential to infect a broader range of hosts, particularly humans. Full article
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