Molecular identification and risk factor analysis of the first Lumpy skin disease outbreak in cattle in Mongolia

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a transboundary viral infectious disease in cattle caused by aCapripoxvirus. LSD has been recently introduced in some Asian countries. However, in Mongolia, no report of LSD is publicly available. We clinically examined LSD symptoms in 1,034 cattle from 4 soum (district) in Dornod province in Mongolia. Sixty-one cattle of them were confirmed with symptoms of LSD and then viral P32 gene was detected by a PCR. The overall prevalence of LSD in cattle was 5.9 %. Females odds ratios (OR) = 2.27 than males, adults (>2.5-years-old, OR = 3.68) than young (1-2.5-years-old) and calves (<1-year-old) were at higher risks for LSD cases in Mongolia, while locations near the tube well and pond water are major risk areas for viral transmission due to density of insects often is high. For virus isolation, skin nodule tissue samples of 4 cattle located in four distinct soums were used for viral propagation using the MDBK cell line. Internal terminal repeat region and RPO30 gene of 4 Mongolian isolates were amplified and sequenced. In the phylogenetic trees, Mongolian LSDVs (2021) were clustered together with the Chinese (2020) and Vietnamese isolates (2020). This is the first report alarming the LSD outbreak in Mongolia that was confirmed by our study. The newly isolated viruses would be a useful base for developing diagnostic tools and inactivated vaccine technology. A large-scale study of LSD is next priority for establishing successful control strategy of further disease outbreak.

Lumpy Skin Disease: An Economically Significant Emerging Disease

“…Calves and young animals (1-2.5-years-old) were at higher risk for LSD cases in Mongolia. At the same time, locations near the tube well and pond water are major risk areas for viral transmission due to the high density of insects [36]. In a study by Sethi et al [37], grazing of animals and the age of cows (> 3 years old) were potential risk factors for the presence of LSD in India.…”

Lumpy skin disease: A newly emerging disease in Southeast Asia

“…In 2020, the prevalence of LSD was 3.00%–6.00% in Myanmar [ 55 ], 4.85% and 53.20% in Nepal [ 56 , 57 ], 13.93% in India [ 58 ], and 78.00% in Bangladesh [ 59 ]. In 2021–2022, the prevalence of LSD was 70% in Egypt [ 60 ], 4.17% in Thailand [ 61 ], 5.9% in Mongolia [ 62 ], and 36.2% in Ethiopia [ 63 ].…”

Lumpy skin disease as an emerging infectious disease

“…The lumpy skin disease (LSD) virus is a member of the family Poxviridae , genus Capripoxvirus that causes LSD. This disease has recently emerged in most east European and Asian countries [ 1 2 3 4 ]. Bovine species ( Bos taurus and Bos indicus ) and water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) are the primary hosts of this disease.…”

“…LSD is a vector-borne disease transmitted by bloodsucking arthropods: mosquitoes ( Culex mirificens and Aedes natrionus ), biting flies ( Stomoxys calcitrans and Biomyia fasciata ), and male ticks ( Riphicephalus appendiculatus and Amblyomma hebraeum ) [ 1 5 ]. This disease is characterized by high fever, emaciation, enlarged superficial lymph nodes, lacrimation, conjunctivitis, and notable nodules on the skin and mucous membranes of the mouth, respiratory tract, and genitalia [ 1 2 3 4 ]. It can also cause reduced milk production, abortion in pregnant animals, and death.…”

“…Türkiye may serve as a crossroads connecting the Eurasian continent, facilitating the spread of LSD to the Balkans and some European countries [ 1 ]. After spreading to the Russian Federation in 2015, LSD has invaded several Asian countries, such as Kazakhstan, China, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Taiwan [ 3 4 8 9 ]. Finally, the disease spread east and north to Mongolia and Eastern Siberia [ 1 4 ].…”