Clinico‐histopathological and molecular detection of small ruminants’ papillomaviruses in Iran

BACKGROUND: Papilloma DNA viruses are one of the viruses that cause skin lesions in ruminants. OBJECTIVES: The clinical, histopathological and molecular characteristics of cutaneous papilloma in ruminants in Iran are to be investigated in this study. METHODS: Samples were collected from 19 small ruminants (5 sheep and 14 goats) with various papillomatosis lesions. The samples taken were studied with histopathological and molecular techniques. RESULTS: In clinical terms, the lesions appeared in different sizes, ranging from 0.5 to 11 cm, and the cauliflower exophytic masses appeared in other parts of the animal's body. In the limbs, most papilloma lesions have been seen (42.1%). In histopathological examination, perinuclear vacuolation epidermal granule layer with various degrees of hypergranulosis, hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, orthokeratosis and parakeratosis were seen. Moreover, all the suspected samples were positive for papillomavirus using the polymerase chain reaction technique. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of papillomaviruses in Iranian sheep and goats is low, it seems necessary to distinguish them from other viral skin diseases, such as cutaneous contagious ecthyma, using molecular techniques and histopathology.