Genomic Epidemiology and Bayesian Phylodynamics Trace the 20th-Century European Introduction and Spread of Bovine Papillomavirus Type 2 in Fujian, China

Bovine papillomatosis (BP), a contagious tumor condition affecting cattle, is caused by bovine papillomavirus (BPV), a globally distributed virus that causes economic losses in the livestock industry. To elucidate the genomic characteristics of prevalent BPV strains in Fujian Province, we isolated a strain from local cattle farms. Using specialized primers, we identified its genotype and conducted a thorough genomic analysis, including amplification, cloning, sequencing, and comprehensive sequence analysis. Additionally, we retrieved 70 full-genome sequences of BPV from GenBank, representing various countries and regions, to investigate the virus's dispersal patterns.Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolated BPV strain belongs to the BPV2 type, with a genome length of 7,947 base pairs. Remarkably, China reported its first case of BPV infection in 1973. Interestingly, the maximum clade credibility tree suggests that BPV may have been introduced to China in the 1970s, likely originating from Europe.This timeline coincides with historical livestock trade activities, suggesting a potential link between human activities and the spread of BPV.