Papillomavirus

A genus in the family Papovaviridae. They are naked, icosahedral viruses with a circular, supercoiled DNA genome of ∼8 kilobases and are specific to each animal species and in some cases to specific epithelial sites in that species. Virions are very stable and readily transmissible especially if there is abrasion such as by grooming with a curry comb. The type virus is the Shope papilloma virus of rabbits. See also sarcoid, papilloma, papillomatosis.