Lumpy Skin Disease: A Comprehensive Review on Virus Biology, Pathogenesis, and Sudden Global Emergence

Abstract

The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is an animal virus and a member of the Poxviridae family, which causes lumpy skin disease (LSD) in livestock animals like cows and buffaloes. LSD is an important transboundary disease of economic importance that was first discovered in 1929 in Zambia. LSDV has been prevalent in African countries, where several outbreaks have been reported previously. However, the virus has spread rapidly across the Middle East in the past two decades, reaching Russia and, recently, the Asian subcontinent. With the unprecedented cluster outbreaks reported across Asian countries, LSDV is certainly undergoing an epidemiological shift and expanding its geographical footprint globally. The recent LSD outbreaks have gained attention from global regulatory authorities and raised serious concerns among epidemiologists and veterinary researchers. Although there is no dearth of knowledge about LSDV, the disease lacks networked global surveillance and management, consequently making the current statistics deficient, fragmented, and unreliable. Hence, recurrent LSD outbreaks seriously threaten the global livestock industry. This review provides recent insights into LSDV by augmenting latest literature associated with its epidemiology, pathogenesis, transmission, currently-available intervention strategies, and economic implications on the dairy industries. The review also critically examines the changing epidemiological footprint of LSD and speculates on the possible reasons contributing to the ongoing multi-country LSD outbreak.

Prevalence and Management Strategies for Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in Cattle: Emphasizing a Region-Based Scenario in Bangladesh

“…This ongoing spread poses a significant threat to countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and even those with large cattle populations like Australia [10]- [12]. Transmission of LSD occurs through diverse vectors, including mosquitoes, biting flies, lice, ticks, and wasps, as well as direct contact of infected animals or exposure to polluted feed and water sources [5], [13]. The disease booms in hot and humid weather, particularly during rainy summers and autumns and in low marshy lands, creating ideal conditions for its spread [9], [14].…”

“…High comorbidity rates and low death rates characterize LSD. Depending on the host's immune response, acute or prolonged clinical illness may manifest in infected animals [13]. In the acute stage, clinical indicators include a high body temperature, bulimia, lymphadenopathy, rhinitis, and characteristic skin lesions; in the chronic stage, poor output, infertility, and other consequences arising from the infection [15]- [17].…”