Global Burden of Lumpy Skin Disease, Outbreaks, and Future Challenges

Mahfuza Akther; Syeda Hasina Akter; Subir Sarker; Joshua W Aleri; Henry Annandale; Sam Abraham; Jasim M Uddin

doi:10.3390/v15091861

Global Burden of Lumpy Skin Disease, Outbreaks, and Future Challenges

Viruses. 2023 Aug 31;15(9):1861. doi: 10.3390/v15091861.

Authors

Mahfuza Akther¹, Syeda Hasina Akter^{2

3}, Subir Sarker⁴, Joshua W Aleri³, Henry Annandale³, Sam Abraham⁵, Jasim M Uddin^{3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh.
² Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh.
³ School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia.
⁴ Biomedical Sciences & Molecular Biology, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia.
⁵ Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia.

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease (LSD), a current global concern, causes economic devastation in livestock industries, with cattle and water buffalo reported to have higher morbidity and lower mortality rates. LSD is caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a member of the Poxviridae family. It is an enzootic, rapidly explorative and sometimes fatal infection, characterized by multiple raised nodules on the skin of infected animals. It was first reported in Zambia in 1929 and is considered endemic in Africa south of the Sahara desert. It has gradually spread beyond Africa into the Middle East, with periodic occurrences in Asian and East European countries. Recently, it has been spreading in most Asian countries including far East Asia and threatens incursion to LSD-free countries. Rapid and accurate diagnostic capabilities, virus identification, vaccine development, vector control, regional and international collaborations and effective biosecurity policies are important for the control, prevention, and eradication of LSD infections. This review critically evaluates the global burden of LSD, the chronological historical outbreaks of LSD, and future directions for collaborative global actions.

Keywords: economic impact; global biosecurity challenges; historical outbreak; lumpy skin disease; vaccination.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Africa, Northern
Animals
Asia / epidemiology
Buffaloes
Cattle
Disease Outbreaks
Humans
Lumpy Skin Disease* / epidemiology
Lumpy Skin Disease* / prevention & control
Zambia

Grants and funding

Subir Sarker is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (grant no. DE200100367) funded by the Australian Government. The Australian Government had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, the decision to publish, or the preparation of the manuscript.