Epizootic features and control measures for lumpy skin disease in south‐east Serbia in 2016

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an infectious disease of cattle caused by virus of the Capripoxvirus genus (LSDV), family Poxviridae. Until 2015, it had not appeared in the Balkans. In June 2016, LSD spread throughout Serbia. This study analyses the first LSD occurrence, epizootic features, applied diagnostic procedures and control measures in five districts in south‐east Serbia (Pcinja, Jablanica, Pirot, Toplica and Nisava). In total, there were 225 LSD outbreaks reported in Serbia, out of which 189 (84%) were located in the study area. The highest number of outbreaks was registered in Pcinja district (169), where LSD was first registered. The median distance and time between the nearest previous outbreak sites were calculated (4.32 km and 9 days). The median altitude of outbreak locations was 992 m with more than 90% above 500 m (p ≤ 0.001). The average herd morbidity rate in the study area was 13.6% and the herd mortality rate was recorded only in Pcinja (0.5%) and Jablanica (1.6%) districts. Samples taken from the cattle suspected to LSD were subjected to real time PCR analysis. Out of 233 samples tested for LSDV 132 (56.7%) were positive. The LSDV genome was identified in skin nodules (85.4%), blood (72.7%) and nasal swabs (62.5%). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the LSDV strain circulating in Serbia fell within the cluster of field LSDV found worldwide. In response to the LSD epizootic, animal trade and movement were prohibited, complete stamping out, disinfection, disinsection and an entire bovine population vaccination using the homologous Neethling live attenuated vaccine (OBP, South Africa) were conducted. A month and a half after the completion of the vaccination campaign, the LSD epizootic was stopped, and no new cases have been reported since.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreaks in cattle in Odisha state, India in August 2019: Epidemiological features and molecular studies

“…Laboratory confirmation of LSD is carried out mostly by the prescribed molecular tests, such as conventional capripoxvirus PCR and LSDV‐specific real‐time PCR, as virus isolation requires high turnaround time and cell culture facilities (OIE, 2018). Moreover, molecular tests have been found to be rapid, sensitive and specific for laboratory confirmation of LSD infection in skin biopsy, blood and semen samples (Awad, Ibrahim, Mahran, Fararh, & Abdel Moniem, 2010; Manic et al., 2019; Sprygin, Pestova, Prutnikov, & Kononov, 2018; Tuppurainen et al., 2005). Hence, for laboratory confirmation of LSD, all the samples collected from LSD clinically affected and unaffected cattle in five districts of Odisha were first tested by the OIE recommended conventional PCR assays specific to all capripoxviruses (Ireland & Binepal, 1998) and then by a LSDV field strain‐specific real‐time PCR (Pestova et al., 2018).…”

“…Of the several published LSDV real-time PCR assays, we selected this particular TaqMan assay targeted at the LSDV126 EEV gene, as it was easy to perform, high throughput, sensitive, specific for LSDV field strains, has been validated successfully on diagnostic cattle specimens from field during the LSD outbreaks in the Russian Federation during 2015-2016 and the assay has been found suitable for use in diagnostic laboratories (Pestova et al, 2018). (Awad et al, 2010;Manic et al, 2019;Sprygin et al, 2018;Tuppurainen et al, 2005). Moreover, skin nodule/scab samples are the most preferred sample types for LSD diagnosis and LSDV genome can be detected in skin lesions up to 92 days after infection (Tuppurainen et al, 2005).…”

Lumpy skin disease epidemiological report IV: data collection and analysis

“…Two papers have reported on the epidemiology of LSDV. In the first paper, Manic et al (2019) described outbreaks of LSDV in five districts in South-Eastern Serbia in 2016. There were 189 outbreaks in the study area (out of 225 in Serbia as a whole), with the first case detected in June 2016.…”

Morphological Characteristics of Skin Lesions in Cattle Naturally Infected with Lumpy Skin Disease Virus in Serbia

“…In the recent years several breakouts were reported: in Turkey in 2013 [19], in Greece in 2015 [20] and in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro in 2016 [21]. In 2016, the disease caused great economic losses in Serbia due to stamping out of 709 infected and potentially infected cattle and vaccination of healthy population [22]. Due to mass vaccination the epizootic in Serbia was stopped by October 2016 when the last case of LSD was reported.…”

“…In 2013 it was reported in Turkey [19], in 2015 in Greece [20], and in 2016 it spread to Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro [21]. In June 2016, the fi rst case of LSD in the southern part of Serbia was reported [22]. In the next four months the disease was spread to the central parts of Serbia, and a total number of 225 outbreaks were reported.…”