Novel equid papillomavirus from domestic donkey.
Authors: Ikechukwu Chukwudozie Kingsley, Qin Kailin, Zhang Han, Pan Jiamin, Zhang Wen
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Researchers using viral metagenomic analysis of oral swabs from 32 donkeys in Gansu Province, China have identified and characterised a novel equid papillomavirus designated EaPV3, representing a new species within the Dyochipapilloma genus. The complete 7430 bp circular genome encodes five open reading frames, including three early proteins (E1, E2, E7) and two late structural proteins (L1, L2), with phylogenetic analysis confirming closest relatedness to the previously identified EaPV1, though the presence of the E7 oncoprotein distinguishes it as a distinct species. Notably, whilst viral nucleotide sequences were successfully detected and assembled, no clinical lesions or oral papillomas were observed in the sampled animals, and tissue biopsies were not obtained, which substantially limits conclusions regarding EaPV3's pathogenic significance or disease associations in donkeys. This discovery expands our understanding of papillomavirus diversity within equine species and underscores the continued circulation of novel PVs in domestic donkey populations; however, further investigation—particularly involving animals exhibiting oral proliferative lesions and histopathological examination—will be necessary to establish whether EaPV3 represents a clinically relevant pathogen or remains an incidental oral flora finding in donkeys.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •A new donkey papillomavirus has been discovered in Chinese herds; practitioners should be aware of this novel virus circulating in equine populations, though clinical significance remains unclear
- •Oral swab sampling combined with metagenomic analysis is an effective non-invasive method for detecting novel papillomaviruses in equine species
- •Further research with clinical correlation and tissue biopsies is needed to determine if EaPV3 causes disease in donkeys or represents asymptomatic colonization
Key Findings
- •A novel equid papillomavirus (EaPV3) with a 7430 bp circular genome and 50.8% GC content was identified in oral swab samples from 32 donkeys in Gansu Province, China
- •EaPV3 contains five ORFs coding for three early proteins (E7, E1, E2) and two late proteins (L1, L2) with phylogenetic clustering in the Dyochipapilloma genus
- •EaPV3 is most closely related to Equus asinus papillomavirus 1 (EaPV1) based on concatenated amino acid sequence analysis of E1E2L1L2 genes
- •No clinical signs (oral warts) or histological confirmation were observed in the infected donkeys, limiting pathogenic characterization