摘要Objective Poxviruses are zoonotic pathogens that infect humans,mammals,vertebrates,and arthropods.However,the specific role of ticks in transmission and evolution of these viruses remains unclear.Methods Transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic raw data from 329 sampling pools of seven tick species across five continents were mined to assess the diversity and abundance of poxviruses.Chordopoxviral sequences were assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis to trace the origins of the unblasted fragments within these sequences.Results Fifty-eight poxvirus species,representing two subfamilies and 20 genera,were identified,with 212 poxviral sequences assembled.A substantial proportion of AT-rich fragments were detected in the assembled poxviral genomes.These genomic sequences contained fragments originating from rodents,archaea,and arthropods.Conclusion Our findings indicate that ticks play a significant role in the transmission and evolution of poxviruses.These viruses demonstrate the capacity to modulate virulence and adaptability through horizontal gene transfer,gene recombination,and gene mutations,thereby promoting co-existence and co-evolution with their hosts.This study advances understanding of the ecological dynamics of poxvirus transmission and evolution and highlights the potential role of ticks as vectors and vessels in these processes.