Molecular Characterization of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus in Bulgaria: Phylogenetic Insights Based on the RPO30 Gene.
- 1Risk Assessment Center on Food Chain, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.
- 2Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
- 3Department of Infectious Pathology and Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Forestry, 1796 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Abstract
Capripoxviruses are important viral pathogens of domestic ruminants and include lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), sheeppox virus (SPPV), and goatpox virus (GTPV). In recent years, the spread of LSDV into Southeastern Europe has renewed interest in its molecular epidemiology, particularly in Balkan countries. This study analyzed partial RPO30 gene sequences obtained from clinical samples collected during the 2016 LSDV outbreak in Bulgaria. Viral DNA was detected by real-time PCR, and RPO30 amplicons obtained by conventional PCR were subjected to Sanger sequencing. The obtained sequences were compared with representative LSDV reference sequences retrieved from GenBank, and phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using the Maximum Likelihood method. The five Bulgarian sequences included in the final analysis were positioned near Balkan and Neethling-type LSDV reference sequences and showed high sequence similarity within the analyzed partial RPO30 region. Single nucleotide polymorphisms enabled differentiation among the analyzed sequences and revealed limited variation within the Bulgarian sequence set. Haplotype analysis identified 10 haplotypes across the final 30-sequence dataset; however, all haplotype, SNP, distance-based, and phylogenetic results derive from the same partial RPO30 marker and were interpreted accordingly. The data provide additional information on the molecular characteristics of the analyzed Bulgarian LSDV sequences from the 2016 outbreak, while emphasizing the need for higher-resolution genomic approaches for recombinant or vaccine-like strain characterization and fine-scale epidemiological inference.
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BibTeX
@article{goujgoulova2026molecular,
title = {{Molecular Characterization of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus in Bulgaria: Phylogenetic Insights Based on the RPO30 Gene.}},
author = {Gabriela Goujgoulova and Koycho Koev and Georgi Stoimenov},
journal = {Veterinary sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/vetsci13101086},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944181},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Molecular Characterization of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus in Bulgaria: Phylogenetic Insights Based on the RPO30 Gene.
AU - Gabriela Goujgoulova
AU - Koycho Koev
AU - Georgi Stoimenov
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Veterinary sciences
DO - 10.3390/vetsci13101086
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944181
AB - Capripoxviruses are important viral pathogens of domestic ruminants and include lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), sheeppox virus (SPPV), and goatpox virus (GTPV). In recent years, the spread of LSDV into Southeastern Europe has renewed interest in its molecular epidemiology, particularly in Balkan countries. This study analyzed partial RPO30 gene sequences obtained from clinical samples collected during the 2016 LSDV outbreak in Bulgaria. Viral DNA was detected by real-time PCR, and RPO30 amplicons obtained by conventional PCR were subjected to Sanger sequencing. The obtained sequences were compared with representative LSDV reference sequences retrieved from GenBank, and phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using the Maximum Likelihood method. The five Bulgarian sequences included in the final analysis were positioned near Balkan and Neethling-type LSDV reference sequences and showed high sequence similarity within the analyzed partial RPO30 region. Single nucleotide polymorphisms enabled differentiation among the analyzed sequences and revealed limited variation within the Bulgarian sequence set. Haplotype analysis identified 10 haplotypes across the final 30-sequence dataset; however, all haplotype, SNP, distance-based, and phylogenetic results derive from the same partial RPO30 marker and were interpreted accordingly. The data provide additional information on the molecular characteristics of the analyzed Bulgarian LSDV sequences from the 2016 outbreak, while emphasizing the need for higher-resolution genomic approaches for recombinant or vaccine-like strain characterization and fine-scale epidemiological inference.
SN - 2306-7381
ER -