Lumpy Skin Disease

Lumpy skin disease is a vector born unnoticed viral disease caused by the lumpy skin disease virus under the family Poxviridae. Currently, the disease has emerged emerging threat to large domesticated ruminants (cattle and water buffalo). The severity of clinical signs of LSD depends on the strain of Capri pox virus and the host cattle breed. Lumpy skin disease (LSD) causes huge economic losses in the livestock industry. It is caused by the Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) which belongs to the family Poxviridae, with the Neethling strain as the prototype. LSDV belongs to the genus Capri poxvirus which includes sheep pox virus and goat pox virus. LSD is an enzootic infectious, eruptive and seldom fatal disease of cattle characterized by nodules on the skin. Cattle and water buffalo are the only animal species affected, with a high morbidity rate, but low mortality, however, death rates are higher among calves. LSD causes loss of milk and beef production, abortions in females and sterility in males. The original foci of LSD are from Zambia in 1929. LSD is considered an endemic disease in the African continent. However, the disease has been moved beyond Africa in 1984. It is reported in Madagascar and some countries in the Arab Gulf Peninsula and the Middle East. Recently, the disease is reported in LSD-free countries (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran and Iraq) with potential economic loss to the livestock industry. This review article intends to discuss LSD in light of the recent situation that raises concerns about the spreading of the disease in LSD-free countries.