Epidemiology and economic impact of lumpy skin disease of cattle in Mymensingh and Gaibandha districts of Bangladesh

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging viral disease of cattle that negatively impacts livestock by reducing animals' production and increasing management costs. Like other countries, Bangladesh has also faced the ominous effects of LSD. Because of this pressing concern, the present study was undertaken to determine the attack rate and risk factors along with economic losses of the recent LSD outbreaks from October 2019 to June 2020 in Bangladesh's Mymensingh and Gaibandha districts. A total of 1187 cattle from 150 randomly selected cattle farms were surveyed. The diagnosis was made both clinically and molecularly. The overall attack rate, mortality and case fatality were 34%, 1.10% and 3.23%, respectively, but in calves up to 1 month of age, the attack rate, mortality and case-fatality were 41.6%, 12.5% and 30%, respectively. In risk factor analysis using multiple logistic regression, the following factors were significantly (p < .05) associated with LSD occurrence: no administration of goat pox vaccine, frequency of goat pox vaccination - single dose, introduction of new cattle, land type (low land and medium-high land), use of common syringe and needle, and use of common utensils. The average economic loss per case was 9384.41 BDT (110.40 US $). The higher economic loss per case was accounted in Mymensingh district (10248.91 BDT ≈ 120.58 US $) than Gaibandha district (8211.52 BDT ≈ 96.61 US $). The loss was higher in crossbred cattle (9709.58 BDT ≈ 114.23 US $) compared to indigenous cattle (7595.94 BDT ≈ 89.36 US $). The total estimated annual loss due to LSD in Mymensingh and Gaibandha districts was 7763.25 million BDT (91.33 million US $). In Gaibandha district, the estimated annual loss was 2666.20 million BDT (31.37 million US $) while in Mymensingh district it was 5097.05 million BDT (59.97 million US $). Findings of the study could provide useful epidemiological data with losses incurred due to LSD to the livestock owners, field veterinarians and government-level livestock regulators, which will help to formulate prevention and control strategies and minimize the negative impact of LSD's probable return or spread.

Keywords: Bangladesh; cattle; economic impact; emerging disease; epidemiology; lumpy skin disease.