Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Close relationship between equine and human molluscum contagiosum virus demonstrated by in situ hybridisation.
- Journal:
- Research in veterinary science
- Year:
- 1998
- Authors:
- Thompson, C H et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Infectious Diseases · Australia
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Researchers looked into whether the virus that causes a skin condition called molluscum contagiosum in humans is also responsible for a similar condition in horses. They examined skin samples from two horses that had these lesions and found that the virus in the horses was very similar to the human version based on their DNA. The tests showed a clear connection between the two viruses, suggesting that the virus affecting horses is either the same as or very closely related to the one that affects humans. This study highlights a strong link between the two viruses.
Abstract
To determine whether the virus responsible for human molluscum contagiosum (MCV) is the causal agent of a similar disease in horses, in situ hybridisations using cloned fragments of human MCV DNA labelled with digoxigenin were carried out on formalin-fixed biopsy sections of lesions from two horses with molluscum contagiosum-like skin lesions. In both instances there was evidence of specific hybridisation of the labelled probe to target DNA in the sections under high stringency conditions, identified by the development of a deep blue-purple stain in the cytoplasm of cells in the stratum spinosum and stratum granulosum of the lesions and the absence of non-specific hybridisation in adjacent non-lesional areas of the epidermis. These results indicate that on the basis of very close homology of their viral DNA sequences, the causative virus of equine molluscum contagiosum is either identical with, or very closely related to, its human equivalent.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9625473/