Bovine Papillomavirus: The Silent Threat in Cattle Health
摘要
Papilloma or cutaneous warts affect large populations of animals, especially cattle. It is caused by bovine papillomavirus, which is a cosmopolitan virus that affects both domestic and wild animals worldwide. It is an epithelial-tropic virus belonging to the Papillomaviridae family. Cutaneous warts are hyperplastic lesions affecting the skin and mucous membranes at all body sites. Infection with bovine papillomavirus is usually self-limiting, but it can persist or transform into cancerous lesions according to the immunity of the affected animal. Bovine warts do not seriously compromise cattle health, except for immune-compromised cattle. Moreover, it is an oncogenic virus that causes cancers in animals at sites such as skin, upper gastrointestinal tract, and urinary bladder. Lesions of the udder can lead to local economic loss if complicated with mastitis, which affects milking and milk production. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of BPVs, covering their history, etiology, epidemiology, clinical signs, pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, immunity, prevention, and zoonotic potential.