Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)- Relevance for UPSC Exam

• GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to- Health; Education.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in News

• Several states, including Gujarat and Rajasthan, have been battling the outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) which is a viral infection of cattle.

Spread of the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in Recent Past

• Since 2019, outbreaks of the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) have been reported in 20 states of India.
• Since the first LSD case was reported on April 23 this year in Kutch, the Lumpy Skin Disease has spread to 26 of Gujarat’s 33 districts and has claimed more than 4,000 cattle heads.
• In Rajasthan, around 27,000 cattle heads have reportedly succumbed to the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Prevalence Across the World

• According to the FAO report, LSD was long restricted to sub-Saharan 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.
• Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) entered India, Bangladesh and China in July 2019.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)

• About: Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), which is a virus of the capripoxvirus genus in the poxviridae family.
  • Sheeppox virus and goatpox virus are the other members of the genus capripoxvirus.
• Affected Animals: The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) mainly affects cattle — cow and its progeny, and the Asian water buffaloes.
• Periodic Occurrence: According to a 2021 report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, LSD outbreaks occur in epidemics several years apart.
  • As per the report, the existence of a specific reservoir for the virus is not known, nor is it known as to how and where the virus survives between epidemics.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)- How does it Spread?

• The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) spreads through blood-sucking vectors like ticks and mites like houseflies, mosquitoes, etc.
• The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) also spreads through contaminated water, fodder and feed.
• Mosquito and housefly infestations remain at their peak during the monsoon, and veterinary scientists and government officers blame a very wet July for the rapid spread of the infection in Gujarat this year.
• Scientists have been advising isolation of infected animals from the healthy ones in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Symptoms

• LSDV attacks the circulatory system of an animal and causes vasculitis or inflammation of blood vessels and lesions in various organs like liver, lungs, spleen, lymph nodes etc.
  • In turn, it causes epidermis, making the outer surface of the skin to get separated from dermis – the inner layer of the skin.
  • This, in turn, leads to formation of lumps or nodules on an animal’s body.
• Fever, increased mucus secretion, loss of appetite etc are among other symptoms.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Vaccination & Treatment- Government Response

• Vaccination: LSD being a viral disease, there is no specific cure once an animal contracts the virus and therefore vaccination is the most effective tool.
  • Goat Pox Vaccine: The state government has been ring-vaccinating healthy cattle heads in the five-km radius of an outbreak by administering them goat pox vaccine.
  • As of August 23, the government had vaccinated 47.53 lakh cattle heads and around 87,000 cattle heads have already recovered from LSD.
• Treatment: As there is no specific treatment for Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), Veterinarians are also administering drugs to alleviate symptoms of LSD in cattle.
  • The government has facilitated setting up isolation centres for feral cattle in urban areas while prohibiting cattle fairs and exhibitions and transportation of cattle in the affected areas.

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