Sheeppox (or sheep pox, known as variola ovina in Latin, clavelée in French, Pockenseuche in German) is a highly contagious disease of sheep caused by a poxvirus different from the benign orf (or contagious ecthyma). This virus is in the family Poxviridae and genus Capripoxvirus. Sheeppox virus (SPV) is the most severe of all the animal pox diseases and can result in some of the most significant economic consequences due to poor wool and leather quality.[2][3]