First Epidemiological Report of Lumpy Skin Disease from Jammu & Kashmir, India: A Notifiable Disease

Abstract

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is a viral disease caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a member of Capripoxvirus genus of Poxviridae family. It is a transboundary disease of the economic importance affecting cows, water buffaloes and deer. The disease is transmitted by arthropod vectors and causes high morbidity and low mortality. LSD was known to be once endemic in Saharan regions of Africa. However, over the past decade, it spread to the Middle East and Turkey. From 2015 onward, it has impacted the Balkan (southeast Europe) countries, Caucus (Eastern Europe) and Russia. LSD entered India, Bangladesh and China in July 2019. Since then, outbreaks of the disease have been reported from many Indian states and UTs namely Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir. Characteristic lumps on skin and high fever are considered as major signs while reduced milk production, infertility, early embryonic death and anorexia are some of the salient clinical manifestations of the disease. Additionally, nodules on mucosa of oropharynx, udder, genitalia and rectum are usually observed on examination.