Lumpy Skin Disease: A Fast Growing Transboundary Disease in Many Countries of Different Continents Including Pakistan

Abstract

The lumpy skin disease is a viral infection in which many nodules are appeared on skin and other parts of body in animals. This virus, lump skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to capripox virus genus is the main cause of lumpy skin disease (LSD). It is an acute or sub-acute systemic viral disorder of buffalo and cattle. It is recently discovered disease of cattle which is putting a negative impact on economy of dairy industry in Asia. The rounded Nodules on skin is the early symptom of LSD in clinical investigation. The nodules in the mucous membranes of nose and mouth, subcutaneous edema, emaciation, and exaggerated lymphadenopathy are additional clinical symptoms of this disease. Mortality rates is about 3 % in endemic regions of Asia while the morbidity is upto10%. The LSDV is transmitted through the entry of blood from outsource by biting of arthropods including mosquitoes and flies from infected animal to healthy one. To control the dispersal of LSDV, infected animals should be quarantined, restricted its movement and place them in a place of no entry of vectors, arthropods. The recent review investigated new knowledge on several facets of the disorder, including its distribution, transmission, origin, pathophysiology, host vulnerability, diagnosis, preventiand therapeutic approaches. Lumpy skin disease virus belongs to Poxviridae family and genus, Capripoxvirus. It cause acute to fatal infection in cattle. Lumpy skin disease results in loss of weight, infertility, abortion in cows and reduction in milk production. In this way this disease has a serious threat to economy of Middle East, European and African countries due to loss of meat and dairy products. LSD is becoming a global threat mainly in region of Middle East and Europe due to trading patterns and climate change as well. LSDV is spreading from one to another through vectors like flies and insects which bite these infected animal and suck blood from their skin and transfer the causative agent from infected animals to healthy one. There are number of factors upon which the spreading of LSDV depends including, environment, humidity, temperature and regions where vectors of its dispersal are more. This disease is spreading at its high at the end of summer season when there is more humidity in air and autumn. Its control is done by vaccination and quarantine of infected animal to prevent its contact with the healthy animals.