Detection of papillomaviruses in cutaneous fibromas of white-tailed and mule deer.

: Naturally occurring cutaneous fibromas affecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O hemionus), and cutaneous fibropapillomas of domestic cattle were tested for papillomavirus using indirect immunofluorescence (IF), peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP), and negative-stain electron microscopic techniques. Papillomavirus was consistently detected using rabbit antiserum against papillomavirus group-specific antigen in all mule deer fibromas and bovine fibropapillomas; only 16 of 28 white-tailed deer fibromas tested by IF and 9 of 15 tested by PAP were detected. Normal skin from white-tailed deer or cattle was consistently negative for virus. Similar results were obtained by negative-stain electron microscopic examination of partially purified tumor homogenates. Using deer fibroma virus or bovine papillomavirus type 1-specific antisera, viruses were typed by IF, PAP, and immunoelectron microscopy.