Recent isolates of parapoxvirus of Finnish reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are closely related to bovine pseudocowpox virus.

Cases of papular stomatitis in Finnish reindeer have been reported for many years. The causative agent was thought to be Orf virus (ORFV), one of the Parapoxviridae, although this assumption was based mainly on clinical symptoms, pathology and electron microscopy. Here sequence analyses of the viral DNA isolated from a recent outbreak of disease in 1999-2000 are presented in comparison to that isolated from earlier outbreaks in 1992-1994. The results show that the virus isolated from the 1999-2000 outbreak is most closely related to Pseudocowpox virus, whereas those from previous years grouped with ORFV. The present study describes a method for genetic characterization and classification of parapoxviruses (PPVs) and provides for the first time an extended phylogenetic analysis of PPVs isolated from Finland, established members of the genus Parapoxvirus and selected members of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae.