EXOone ORF virus

Description

Orf virus is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the family Poxviridae (genus Parapoxvirus) that primarily infects sheep and goats, although other domestic and wild ruminants may also be affected.
The virus is the causative agent of contagious ecthyma (orf), a highly contagious disease characterized by proliferative and crusting lesions affecting the lips, muzzle, oral cavity, udder and other non-wool-covered areas. Infection may impair feeding and growth in young animals and can lead to significant economic losses due to reduced productivity and secondary bacterial infections.
Conventional detection methods based on clinical signs or virus isolation may be limited by lesion stage and sample quality. Real-time PCR enables rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Orf virus DNA directly from clinical samples, supporting analytical detection and surveillance.