Identification of papillomaviruses in scrapings from bovine warts by use of the polymerase chain reaction.

摘要

18 bovine wart lesions were supplied frozen by Australian Meat Holdings from an abattoir in Dinmore, Queensland, Australia and 2 lesions were collected in the field. Scrapings were taken from the 2 latter lesions before surgical removal. The surfaceof each lesion was scraped lightly with surgical blade and the collected debris processed and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers for bovine papillomavirus 1/2 (BPV1/2) and BPV5. Tissue samples from each lesion were routinely examined for histopathology. 12 lesions which resulted in amplified products with primers specific for BPV1/2 were histologically diagnosed as fibropapillomas. Three lesions which gave product primers specific for BPV5 were histologically diagnosed as papillomas. Four lesions, histologically identified as fibropapillomas, did not give any product with either set of viral primers or with primers designed to amplify part of the globin gene. Complete agreement between histological and PCR identification methodswas observed for 15 of the 16 samples that were positive for the viral PCR products. It is concluded that although some samples may not be PCR-competent, the method described is suitable for rapid and easy identification of the virus present in many bovine warts allowing extensive epidemiological studies on live animals without surgical removal of lesions.