What is Lumpy Skin Disease?
A viral outbreak known as Lumpy Skin Disease, which affects cattle, is spread by blood-feeding insects like mosquitoes, flies, lice, and wasps through direct contact as well as through contaminated food and water.
The disease is characterised by the development of lesions in the mouth and upper respiratory tract as well as nodules in the skin that may cover the entire body of the affected animal.
The disease is caused by a virus in the family Poxviridae, genus Capripoxvirus which affects cattle. ‘Agro-climates, communal grazing, biting-fly, and introduction of new animals are associated with the occurrence of lumpy skin disease,’ a paper in Science Direct states.
Symptoms and effects
The systemic effects, which include pyrexia, anorexia, dysgalactia, and pneumonia, according to the National Library of Medicine at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, result in severe emaciation, a loss of production for several months, sterility, and in severe cases, death.
Vaccination for Lumpy Skin Disease
So far, Sheepox virus (SPV) and goat pox virus (GPV) -based vaccines were being used to counter the disease. But now, Indian scientists have also developed an indigenous vaccine against LSD. The ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE) in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) has developed a vaccine against Lumpy Skin Disease. Lumpi-ProVacInd
Can humans get affected?
There is currently no proof that the virus is spreading zoonotically. Zoonosis is a process in which a virus jumps from an animal and on to humans. The Covid-19 outbreak is largely due to zoonosis.
However, there is no evidence to support humans can’t be infected by Lumpy Skin Disease.
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