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In September 2022, deaths of pigs manifesting pox-like lesions caused by swinepox virus were reported in Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Two human mpox cases were found concurrently in the surrounding community. Specific diagnostics and robust sequencing are needed to characterize multiple poxviruses and prevent potential poxvirus transmission.

To explore the possibility of developing a vaccine against transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) infection, a recombinant swinepox virus (rSPV-SA) expressing a TGEV protective antigen has been constructed. Immune responses and protection efficacy of the vaccination vector were assessed in both mice and pig models. An indirect ELISA assay suggested that when mice were vaccinated with rSPV-SA, the level of IgG against TGEV was enhanced dramatically. The cytokine assays were employed and the results indicated that both the Th1-type and Th2-type cytokine levels raised after vaccination with rSPV-SA in mice models. Results from the passive immunity protection test of new born piglets demonstrated that the recombinant live-vector vaccine, rSPV-SA, could 100% protect piglets from the SPV infection, and there was no significant clinical symptom in the rSPV-SA treatment group during this experiment. The data suggest that the novel recombinant swinepox virus is a potential vaccine against TGEV infection.

Swinepox is a sporadic virus disease of domestic and wild pigs that mainly occurs during the rainy season. Though the disease is known for a century, research on swinepox especially genetic characterization is scanty. Self-limiting nature of the disease, the non-availability of specific diagnostics as well as the resemblance of clinical signs with other pathogens are some of the issues in the slow progress in swinepox-related research. Recent whole genome sequencing data from the USA, India, and Germany enhanced our understanding of the biology of swinepox virus (SWPV). The objective of the present study is to investigate the molecular epidemiology of two swinepox outbreaks that occurred in 2015 and 2016 one each in Uttar Pradesh, and the Haryana states of India. The appearance of clinical signs in different swine breeds was recorded. The scab samples from infected pigs were collected, DNA extracted, host range genes of SWPV were PCR amplified, sequenced and analyzed for genetic and phylogenetic characterization. Desi (nondescript breed), Yorkshire White pigs, and Landrace cross were found to be infected with SWPV. Host range genes of SWPV analyzed from clinical samples showed very high nucleotide identity with each other. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that SWPVs circulating in India are distinct (Indian lineage) from the SWPV of the USA, Germany, and Russia (European-North American lineage). Our study affirms the existence of two distinct lineages of SWPV globally with differences in clinical lesions between breeds.

House flies (Musca domestica) are often present in swine farms worldwide. These flies utilize animal secretions and waste as a food source. House flies may harbor and transport microbes and pathogens acting as mechanical vectors for diseases. Senecavirus A (SVA) infection in pigs occurs via oronasal route, and animals shed high virus titers to the environment. Additionally, SVA possesses increased environmental resistance. Due to these reasons, we investigated the tenacity of SVA in house flies. Five groups of flies, each composed of ten females and ten males, were exposed to SVA, titer of 109.3 tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50/mL). Groups of male and female flies were collected at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h post-exposure. For comparison purposes, groups of flies were exposed to Swinepox virus (SwPV). Infectious SVA was identified in all tested groups. Successful isolation of SVA demonstrated the titers varied between 106.8 and 102.8 TCID50/mL in female groups and varied from 105.85 to 103.8 TCID50/mL in male groups. In contrast, infectious SwPV was only detected in the female group at 6 h. The significant SVA infectious titer for prolonged periods of time, up to 48 h, indicates a potential role of flies in SVA transmission.

In this study, we report the complete genome sequence of swinepox virus from a clinical sample from a naturally occurring infection in India. The sequencing was done on a Nanopore MinION sequencer from Oxford Nanopore Technologies. Two new annotations were added to the genome. Three of the genes were found to have frameshifts, which might be of importance in relation to infection. When compared to the only other reported whole genome sequence of swinepox virus, which was obtained from an isolate from America in 1999, our sequence is only 98.19% identical at the nucleotide level. The average amino acid sequence identity of the viral proteins, based on the common 149 annotations, is also 98.19%, demonstrating that these viruses are distinctly divergent. Owing to the fact that swinepox virus infects only swine, it could not have entered America until the introduction of swine in the 16th century from Europe. The swinepox viruses in both continents have continued to evolve independently. The sequence divergence identified here indicates a Eurasian-lineage virus that is geographically distinct from the American-lineage swinepox virus.

Background Two outbreaks of swinepox were investigated in free-range domestic pig farms located in the northeastern side of Sicily, Italy. The disease is generally self-limiting with a low mortality rate, but morbidity can reach high rates in case of poor sanitary conditions, improper husbandry practices and ectoparasitic infestation. The presented cases are the first ever reported on the island and part of the few cases reported in domestic pigs. Case presentation Carcasses condemned at the slaughterhouse and deceased pigs from Farm A and Farm B respectively, were referred for post-mortem examination and further investigations, with a strong suspect of SwinePox virus (SWPV) infection. Twelve deceased pigs were examined in total, showing poor body condition and pustular lesions scattered all over the cutaneous surfaces. Moreover, pigs from Farm B showed ocular lesions classified from Grade I to IV (from mild conjunctivitis to severe keratoconjunctivitis with corneal oedema, opacity, and ulcers). Final diagnosis was pursued by the microscopic assessment of skin lesions in both farms, which revealed the typical SWPV-lesion appearance, such as severe and disseminated ulcerative dermatitis and suspected inclusion bodies multifocally observed in the epidermis. Moreover, negative staining Electron Microscopy (nsEM) was performed on skin lesions and ocular swabs from Farm B, revealing in two samples the presence of brick-shaped viral particles, 220 nm long and 160 nm wide, with irregularly arranged surface tubules, identified as SWPV. The gene encoding the 482-bp fragment of the virus late transcription factor–3 was detected by PCR and sequencing revealed 99.79% identity and 100% query-cover with a strain previously isolated in Germany. Field clinical assessment was then performed in Farm B, revealing high overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions and improper husbandry practices, which are relevant risk factors for SWPV transmission. Conclusions The present is the first case report of SWPV in free-range pigs raised in Sicily, an island of the Southern coast of Italy, and wants to raise awareness on a neglected disease, and cause of animal health and welfare issues.

Outbreaks of swinepox [caused by a swinepox virus (SWPV)] in pigs were investigated in 3 districts of Assam, a north eastern state of India. Diagnosis of the disease was carried out employing both standard virological as well as molecular methods. Three representative isolates from different places were selected for inoculation into confluent monolayers of Porcine Kidney-15 (PK-15) cell line. The cytopathic effects were characterized by cell rounding, nuclear vacuolation, cell fusion, granulation of cells and finally detachment from third blind passage onwards. The three genes viz., SPV18 – 20 and P42 of SWPV was targeted for confirmation of the virus. Swinepox virus was successfully adapted to the PK-15 cell line from seventh passage onwards. The isolated viruses were characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of P42 gene (extracellular envelope protein), a homologue of vaccinia virus F13L gene. In India, studies on swine pox are very limited. This is the first report on successful isolation of swinepox virus from north eastern region of India. Assam and the other north-eastern states of India being a hub for pig husbandry, isolation of swinepox virus will help in developing and formulating control strategies against the disease.

Swinepox virus (SWPV) is the only member of the Suipoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family and is an etiologic agent of a worldwide disease specific for domestic and wild pigs. SWPV outbreaks are sporadically recorded in different regions of Russia. In 2013, an outbreak of the disease causing skin lesions was registered on a pig farm in Russia. The presence of SWPV in the scab samples was assessed by in-house real-time PCR, reference PCR amplification, and nucleotide sequencing of the viral late transcription factor-3 (VLTF-3) gene and was then confirmed by virus isolation. Thus, the in-house real-time PCR proposed in this study could serve as a useful tool for the rapid specific detection of the swinepox virus. In the study, it has been demonstrated for the first time that nasal and oral swabs can be used for PCR diagnosis of the disease and for swinepox virus isolation. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolated virus was closely related to SWPV isolates registered in Germany, USA, and Brazil, and slightly differed from the Indian isolates. During experimental infection of pigs, a low pathogenicity of the Russian isolate was observed. Our data provides the first report on the isolation and characterization of swinepox virus in Russia.

Swinepox virus (SWPV) is a globally distributed swine pathogen that causes sporadic cases of an acute poxvirus infection in domesticated pigs, characterized by the development of a pathognomonic proliferative dermatitis and secondary ulcerations. More severe disease with higher levels of morbidity and mortality is observed in congenitally SWPV-infected neonatal piglets. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary origins of SWPV strains isolated from domestic pigs and wild boar. Analysis of whole genome sequences of SWPV showed that at least two different virus strains are currently circulating in Germany. These were more closely related to a previously characterized North American SWPV strain than to a more recent Indian SWPV strain and showed a variation in the SWPV-specific genome region. A single nucleotide deletion in the wild boar (wb) SWPV strain leads to the fusion of the SPV019 and SPV020 open reading frames (ORFs) and encodes a new hypothetical 113 aa protein (SPVwb020-019). In addition, the domestic pig (dp) SWPV genome contained a novel ORF downstream of SPVdp020, which encodes a new hypothetical 71aa protein (SPVdp020a). In summary, we show that SWPV strains with altered coding capacity in the SWPV specific genome region are circulating in domestic pig and wild boar populations in Germany.

Swine are the only known hosts of swinepox virus (SWPV), the sole member of the genus Suipoxvirus, family Poxviridae. Rapid diagnosis is recommended for appropriate interventions because of the high morbidity associated with this virus. This study describes a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for rapid detection and quantification of SWPV. The detection limit, repeatability, reproducibility, and specificity of this assay were determined. The efficiency was 96%, and the R2 value was 0.996. The detection limit was 1 fg or 10−0.5 TCID50/50 μL. Tests showed that the greatest source of error in the SWPV qPCR assay was variation between analysts rather than different qPCR kits or equipment. All nucleic acids from other viruses or samples collected from swine were negative in the specificity test. qPCR for SWPV is a new method with tested variables that allows main sources of error in laboratory diagnosis and viral quantification to be identified.