Bovine papillomavirus infections in animals

Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) are DNA oncogenic viruses inducing hyperplastic benign lesions of both cutaneous and mucosal epithelia in cattle. Six (BPV 1-6) different viral genotypes have been characterized so far; they are all strictly specie-specific even if BPV 1/2 may also infect horses inducing fibroblastic tumors. The benign lesions may regress or develop to cancer once the virus synergizes with environmental carcinogenic co-factors. Among these the bracken fern is the most extensively studied. The BPV associated tumors have veterinary and agriculture relevance in its own right but they have also been studied as relevant model of human papillomavirus (HPV). Recent insights into BPV biology open new fields of speculation about the role of these viruses in inducing neoplastic transformation of cells other than epithelial.