Genetic Evaluation of Bovine Papillomavirus Types Associated with Teat Papillomatosis in Polish Dairy Cattle with the Report of a New Putative Type

Teat papillomatosis is reported to be one of the factors causing mastitis and milk losses in dairy cattle. Little is known about bovine papillomavirus (BPV) circulation in the European cattle population, and no reports can yet be found about its prevalence in Polish herds. In this study, 177 BPV-like lesions were collected from teats of 109 slaughtered cows. BPV was identified in 39 of the examined animals, using PCR amplification and Sanger dideoxy sequencing. In total, 10 BPV types were isolated, among which the most common were infections caused by types 8 and 7. Macroscopically, rice-grain type lesions dominated (76%) and were mainly found on one teat (57.4%). The diversity of BPV types causing teat papillomatosis in Polish cows seems to be large, with nine already known types isolated and a new putative type found. The spread of new types among the worldwide cattle population can be seen for the first time, as type 25 and so called isolates BPV42 and BPV43 were found in the European cattle population.

Automated summary

This study identified bovine papillomavirus (BPV) infections in the Polish cattle population, with types 8 and 7 being the most common. The majority of the observed lesions were rice-grain type, mainly found on one teat. The diversity of BPV types causing teat papillomatosis in Polish cows is large, with nine known types and a new putative type discovered. Additionally, this study revealed the spread of new BPV types, including type 25 and isolates BPV42 and BPV43, among the European cattle population for the first time.