Outbreak of sheeppox in farmed sheep in Kyrgystan: Histological, eletron microscopical and molecular characterization

On a farm in the Kyrgyz Republic, several dead sheep were found without any history of illness. The sheep showed several ulcerations on lips and bare-skinned areas. At necropsy the lungs showed multiple firm nodules, which were defined as pox nodules histologically. In the rumen hyperkeratotic plaques were visible. With electron microscopy pox viral particles were detected and confirmed with qPCR as Capripoxviruses. Although all members of the Capripoxvirus genus are eradicated in western countries, this study should remind us of the classical lesions observed in poxvirus infections.

Keywords: Capripoxvirus, sheep, Kyrgyz Republic, histology, electron microscopy