title: Molecular characterization of orf virus from sheep and goats in Ethiopia, 2008-2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Orf is a contagious disease of sheep, goats and wild ungulates caused by orf virus (ORFV) a member of the genus Parapoxvirus, Poxviridae family. Although orf is endemic in Ethiopia, little attention has been given so far as it is not a notifiable disease by the World Organization for Animal Health. In this work, we have investigated orf outbreaks representing five different geographical locations of Ethiopia, in Amba Giorgis, Gondar zuria, Adet, Debre zeit and Adami Tulu, between 2008 and 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The viral isolation and the sequence analysis of the A32L and the B2L genes of eighteen representative isolates confirmed that sampled animals were infected by ORFVs. The phylogenetic study and the comparative analysis of the deduced amino acid profile suggests that there were two main clusters of ORFV isolates which were responsible for the investigated outbreaks. Additionally the analysis of these two genes showed limited variability to ORFVs encountered elsewhere. This is the first report on the genetic characterization of the ORFV isolates from sheep and goats in Ethiopia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The molecular characterization of Ethiopian ORFV isolates highlighted the circulation of two main clusters causing orf disease in sheep and goats. The use of laboratory based methods and a constant monitoring of Ethiopian ORFV isolates is needed to better understand the dynamic of ORFV circulating in the country and facilitate the implementation of control measures.
authors.affiliation: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400, Vienna, Austria.|Institute of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, A-1190, Vienna, Austria.|Research and Diagnostic Laboratories, National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 19, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Esayas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gelaye
authors.affiliation: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Jenna Elizabeth
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Achenbach
authors.affiliation: Research and Diagnostic Laboratories, National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 19, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Shiferaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenberie
authors.affiliation: Research and Diagnostic Laboratories, National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 19, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Gelagay
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ayelet
authors.affiliation: Research and Diagnostic Laboratories, National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 19, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Alebachew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belay
authors.affiliation: Research and Diagnostic Laboratories, National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 19, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yami
authors.affiliation: Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Robert Koch-Gasse 17, A-2340, Mödling, Austria.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loitsch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Microbiology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Reingard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grabherr
authors.affiliation: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Adama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.affiliation: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400, Vienna, Austria. c.lamien@iaea.org.
authors.forename: Charles Euloge
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lamien
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004474:Ecthyma, Contagious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000821:virology*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006041:Goats; D049674:History, 21st Century; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009923:Orf virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins