LUMPY SKIN DISEASE VIRUS(LSDV)

 LUMPY VIRUS: -Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a member of the capripoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae, is the etiologic agent of an important disease of cattle in Africa. 

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease of cattle caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). LSDV is one of the most important animal poxviruses because of the serious economic consequences in cattle. The World Organization for Animal Health182 categorizes LSD as a notifiable disease.182 It is characterized by fever, reduced milk production and skin nodules. Mastitis, swelling of peripheral lymph nodes, loss of appetite, increased nasal discharge and watery eyes are also common. Temporary or permanent infertility occur among infected cows and bulls. The disease can cause high morbidity and low mortality.183,184 Secondary bacterial infection in the affected skin lesions can increase the severity and prolong the course of the disease. The analysis of prevalent bacterial communities in affected lesion were carried out using 16s rRNA gene sequencing. Up to 98 species were found, most of them belonging to the phyla of Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Many common mammalian pathogens are found in the Proteobacteria phylum. For example, the Brucella185 and Rickettsia186 genera belong to the Alphaproteobacteria class; Bordetella187 and Neisseria188 belong to the Betaproteobacteria class; and Escherichia,189 Shigella and Salmonella belong to the Gammaproteobacteria class. All bacterial species found are known as opportunistic pathogens, but can withstand the inflammatory reaction.

IMPACT ON INDIA: -The lumpy skin disease (LSD) virus that has killed at least 50,000 cattle in India this year maybe structurally different from the version of the virus prevalent in India in 2019, raising questions on whether the new vaccine being developed for safeguarding cattle may be adequately protective.

SCIENTIFIC REPORT: -Scientists At The Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research-institute Of Genomics And Integrative Biology (Csir-igib) And The State Disease Diagnostic Centre, Jaipur Analysed Five Animals With Symptoms Of The Disease And Compared Genomes Of The Virus Extracted From Them. Six Genomes (There Were Multiple Genomes From A Single Animal) Showed That It Had “little Similarity To Global Genomes” When Compared With Genetic Sequences From Earlier Outbreaks Of The Disease.

The Analysis Of The Genomes Revealed 177 Unique Variants, None Of Which Were Found In Four Genome Sequences From India Belonging To The 2019 Outbreak Of The Disease Deposited In Genbank, A Popular Database.

Analysis Of The Viral Sequences Suggests The Genomes From The 2022 Outbreak Harbour A Large Number Of Genetic Variations Compared To The Reference Genome And Form A Distinct Lineage,” The Authors Lenin Bhatt, Rahul C. Bhoyar, Bani Jolly, Ravi Israni, Harie Vignesh, Vinod Scaria, Sridhar Sivasubbu, Say In Their Paper. The Study Appears On The Preprint Server Bioarxiv And Is Yet To Be Peer Reviewed.

VACCINATION: -This Is Significant As Lumpi-provacind, A Vaccine Developed By The Indian Veterinary Research Institute, And The Indian Council Of Agricultural Research’s (Icar) National Research Centre On Equines Is Based On Lsd Virus Samples From Cattle In Ranchi Afflicted In The 2019 Outbreak. However, Experimental Trials Conducted On Animals Afflicted In The Ongoing 2022 Outbreak With The Vaccine Have Revealed Encouraging Results, Icar And The Ministry Of Agriculture Have Stated.

The Variants Identified And Analysed In Rajasthan As Part Of The Study Were Widespread In India.

Another Point Of Concern That The Igib Study Raises Is That One Of The Animals Appeared To Have Two Different Variants Of The Lsd Virus When Virus Was Extracted From Its Nose As Well As From The Skin, Suggesting That The Virus Appeared To Be Able To Evolve Within A Single Host. This Again Speaks To The Increased Infectivity Of The Lsd Virus In 2022 Compared To 2019.

HOW TO SPREAD: -Lumpy Skin Disease Is A Contagious Viral Disease That Spreads Among Cattle Through Mosquitoes, Flies, Lice, And Wasps By Direct Contact, And Also Through Contaminated Food And Water. The Disease Causes Fever And Nodules On The Skin, And It Can Be Fatal.

SYMPTOMS: -Symptoms Include Skin Nodules Of About Two To Five Centimetres, High Fever, Reduced Milk Production, Loss Of Appetite, And Watery Eyes. The Centre Recently Said About 57,000 Cattle Have Died So Far Due To The Disease Which Has Spread To Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, And, Andhra Pradesh.

prevention:-

• Immediate isolation of sick animal from the healthy animals. Symptomatic treatment of affected animals may be carried out with all precautions and biosecurity measures. Feeding of liquid feed, soft feed and fodder is recommended. 
• Clinical surveillance against LSD in affected districts and around surrounding villages should be intensified. 
• The buffaloes should be kept separately till complete recovery of the affected animals, if reared together.
• Disinfection of premises at regular intervals.
• Ecto-parasiticide should also be applied to healthy animals on the infected and on surrounding farms.
• The persons dealing with the infected animal should wear gloves and face masks and carry out hygienic and disinfection measures at all times. 
• Care should be taken to report any unusual sickness of other animals to the nearest veterinary Hospital/Dispensary.
• Hygiene practices should be followed at the animal farm and by the people in areas where animals are infected. 
• Farms with affected animals should be visited regularly by field veterinarians until all the cases are recovered. The veterinary staff should take all precautionary hygiene measures to avoid the further spread of disease to other farms/households.
• In case of mortality, carcass should be disposed of by deep burial method observing all hygienic measures.
• Cattle markets located within 10 km radius of the epicentre of infection should be closed.
• Trade of live cattle, participation in fairs, and shows should be banned immediately upon confirmation of the disease in the affected areas.
• Semen from LSD-affected animals should not be collected and processed for production and distribution.

There is no treatment for Lumpy Skin Disease. It is difficult to stop cattle from being attacked by infected vectors (flies, etc.) once the infection is within an area. Risk  behaviour  increase the probability of infection being carried between locations

The Disease Has Raised Concerns Over Its Impact On The Dairy Business. India Is The World’s Largest Milk Producer At About 210 Million tonnes Annually.