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Scientific reports2026; 16(1); 21179; doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52384-z

Detection of papillomavirus DNA in uterine flushing samples from healthy mares reveals diverse genotypes with differing host ranges.

Abstract: A molecular study to assess the presence of some papillomaviruses was performed on 105 uterine flushing samples of healthy mares using real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and digital PCR (dPCR). Bovine, equine, and ovine papillomavirus DNA was detected in 27 uterine flushing samples through dPCR (~ 25.71%); qPCR was able to detect 18 positive samples (~ 17.14%). Differences between the two molecular protocols were significant as shown by McNemar's test (p˂ 0.005). EcPV DNA was detected in 10 samples by dPCR (~ 9.52%) of uterine flushing samples. qPCR detected EcPV DNA in 7 samples (~ 6.66). dPCR revealed OaPV1 DNA in 13 samples (12.38%). qPCR revealed OaPV1 DNA in 9 samples (8.57%). BPV DNA was found by dPCR in 4 samples (~ 3.80%); qPCR revealed BPV DNA in two uterine flushing samples, that is ~ 1.90% of healthy uterine flushing samples. Overall, OaPV1 was the most detected papillomavirus from mare uterus. Similar molecular findings were found in the virobiota of mare vagina. EcPV9 was the most prevalent equine PV genotype. EcPV8, BPV13, ChPV1, ChPV2, OaPV2, OaPV3, and OaPV4 were not detected. Our findings are consistent with non-strict host specificity of BPVs and OaPVs.
© 2026. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2026-05-08 PubMed ID: 42103858PubMed Central: PMC13342596DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-52384-zGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Detection of diverse papillomavirus DNA types in uterine flushing samples from healthy mares indicates varying host ranges for these viruses, challenging the idea that these viruses infect only specific hosts.

Objective and Methodology

  • The study aimed to detect the presence of different papillomaviruses (PVs) in uterine flushing samples from healthy mares.
  • A total of 105 uterine flushing samples were analyzed using two molecular techniques: real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and digital PCR (dPCR).
  • dPCR and qPCR are both PCR-based methods for detecting and quantifying DNA, with dPCR generally providing higher sensitivity and precision.

Key Findings: Prevalence and Detection Rates

  • dPCR detected papillomavirus DNA in approximately 25.71% of samples (27 out of 105), whereas qPCR detected it in 17.14% (18 out of 105), showing a statistically significant difference in sensitivity between techniques (p < 0.005 by McNemar's test).
  • Different PV types were identified from the samples:
    • Equine papillomavirus (EcPV) DNA was found in 9.52% of samples by dPCR and 6.66% by qPCR.
    • Ovine papillomavirus type 1 (OaPV1) DNA was found in 12.38% by dPCR and 8.57% by qPCR, making it the most frequently detected PV in the uterine samples.
    • Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) DNA was detected in 3.80% by dPCR and 1.90% by qPCR.

Distribution of Papillomavirus Genotypes

  • The study specifically tested for several PV genotypes but found:
    • EcPV9 was the most common equine PV genotype detected.
    • Other genotypes such as EcPV8, BPV13, ChPV1, ChPV2, OaPV2, OaPV3, and OaPV4 were not detected in any sample.
  • The similarity of molecular results in uterine and vaginal virobiota suggests common PV presence in multiple reproductive tract sites in mares.

Implications on Host Specificity and Viral Ecology

  • The detection of ovine and bovine PV DNA in equine uterine samples indicates that papillomaviruses may not be strictly host-specific and might cross-infect different mammalian species.
  • This finding challenges the traditional assumption that PVs have narrow host ranges limited to a specific species.
  • The diversity and presence of PVs in healthy mares’ uterine samples may have implications for understanding the natural viral ecology of equine reproductive tissues and possible interspecies transmission pathways.

Conclusion

  • The study demonstrates the utility of digital PCR in more sensitively detecting various papillomaviruses in equine uterine samples.
  • It reveals a diverse range of papillomavirus genotypes, including those typically associated with other species, highlighting differing host ranges and suggesting possible non-strict host specificity.
  • These findings contribute to the broader understanding of papillomavirus epidemiology in horses and possibly other species, with potential impacts on veterinary medicine and virus-host interaction research.

Cite This Article

APA
(2026). Detection of papillomavirus DNA in uterine flushing samples from healthy mares reveals diverse genotypes with differing host ranges. Sci Rep, 16(1), 21179. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52384-z

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
PII: 21179

Researcher Affiliations

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Horses / virology
  • Papillomaviridae / genetics
  • Papillomaviridae / isolation & purification
  • Papillomaviridae / classification
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Uterus / virology
  • Genotype
  • Papillomavirus Infections / virology
  • Papillomavirus Infections / veterinary
  • Host Specificity
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Cattle
  • Sheep

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: All procedures performed in this study followed good clinical practices. All animal studies were approved by the Institutional Ethical Animal Care and Use Committee of the Naples University Federico II (Approval number: PG/2025/0069658). Permission to collect samples was obtained from the animals’ owners who were previously informed and in agreement with the purpose and methods used.

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