Poxviruses
A group of contagious viruses that primarily cause skin lesions, pustules, and other symptoms, affecting a wide range of species, including livestock and wildlife.
STAR IDAZ Approach
Poxviruses are a group of viruses that cause contagious diseases in animals, leading to skin lesions, pustules, and other symptoms that can significantly impact animal health and productivity. These viruses affect a wide range of species, including livestock and wildlife, making them a concern for animal health worldwide.
STAR IDAZ IRC has initially focused on capripoxviruses. The geographic range of capripoxviruses has historically been largely confined to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. However, recent incursions into Europe, together with changes in vector distribution associated with climate change, are increasing the risk of further global spread. Recognising both their growing international threat and the need for a more coordinated research response, STAR IDAZ IRC activated its Capripoxvirus Working Group in early 2026 to assess the current evidence, identify important gaps in knowledge and help establish priorities for future research investment.
Working group
Poxvirus Working Group
In June 2026, STAR IDAZ IRC launched an online, global consultation which invited experts to give feedback on specific scientific knowledge or research gaps relating to the prevention, detection, and control of lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), goatpox virus (GTPV), and sheeppox virus (SPPV). To build on the insights gathered by the online consultation, STAR IDAZ IRC in collaboration with the National Research Innovation Centre, Indonesia (BRIN), held an in-person gap analysis and prioritisation workshop. The capripoxvirus gap analysis workshop brought together 21 international experts from 15 countries across Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, representing academia, government, research institutes, and international organisations. Participants included specialists in epidemiology, virology, vaccinology, immunology, disease control, diagnostics, One Health, and policy. Following a successful workshop, the expert group now seeks to develop key resources to support the scientific and funding community, including research roadmaps for the development of candidate vaccines, diagnostics tests, and integrated control strategies.
Key People
Adedeji Adeyinka,
National Veterinary Research Institute, NVRI Vom Nigeria
Shawn Babiuk,
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA Canada
Pip Beard,
University of Keele United Kingdom
Camilla Benfield,
GALVmed United Kingdom
Tim Bowden,
Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, ACDP CSIRO Australia
Waroonsiri Charoenlarp,
World Organisation for Animal Health – Bangkok Regional Office, WOAH Thailand
Christiana Hebel,
Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, CVRL United Arab Emirates
Maria Isabel Maldonado Coelho Guedes,
Veterinary School of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Brazil
Sunitha Joseph,
Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, CVRL United Arab Emirates
Esron Karimuribo,
Sokoine University of Agriculture United Republic of Tanzania
Eyal Klement,
Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Israel
Baratang Alison Lubisi,
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute South Africa
Henry Munyanduki,
Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, ACDP CSIRO Australia
Harimurti Nuradji,
National Research Innovation Centre, BRIN Indonesia
Manjunatha Reddy,
National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, ICAR-NIVEDI India
Jeremy Salt,
The Vaccine Group United Kingdom
Indrawati Sendow,
National Research Innovation Centre, BRIN Indonesia
Huynh Tan Loc,
Can Tho University Vietnam
Antoinette van Schalkwyk,
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute South Africa
Dejan Vidanović,
Veterinary Specialized Institute Kraljevo Europe
Jing Zhizhong,
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences China
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Reports
Reports and outcomes from meetings and workshops
Research roadmaps and gap analyses
Gap analysis summary
Three research roadmaps, one each for the development of candidate vaccines, diagnostics tests, and integrated control strategies, are currently being developed by the Capripoxvirus Expert Working Group. Following validation by the STAR IDAZ Scientific Committee, the roadmaps will be published on the STAR IDAZ website.
Projects
Displaying 4 of 11 projects
VIEW ALL PROJECTSStructural basis of monkeypox virus A41L and CrmB proteins’ interaction with chemokines
Planned Completion date 01/01/2026
China
How MHC-I editing complexes shape the hierarchical immune response
Planned Completion date 31/12/2024
Europe
Modulation of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System During Multiple Stages of the Poxvirus Lifecycle
Planned Completion date 31/08/2021
Europe
FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL POXVIRAL IMMUNOMODULATORY PROTEINS
Planned Completion date 30/06/2024
United Kingdom
Recent publications
Reports and outcomes from meetings and workshops
Poxvirus antigenic proteins: from fundamental biology to translational applications
Development and application of TaqMan qPCR assays for detecting monkeypox virus, lumpy skin disease virus, goatpox virus, fowlpox virus and swinepox …
Sheep and Goat Pox
AI-enabled structural bioinformatics identifies repositioned kinase inhibitor against Poxviridae kinases