1. Lumpy Skin Disease
Experience from India
Praveen Malik
Principal Scientist
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Chief Executive Officer, Agrinnovate India Limited
Department of Agricultural Research and Education
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Government of India

2. • In India - first reported from Odisha during
September 2019
• Presently (till Feb 15, 2023) the incidences of
LSD are reported from 23 States/UTs namely
Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar
Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Telangana, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Sikkim
• No of districts affected – 413
• No. of epicenters – 58,008
• Animals affected – 3,273,204
• Animals died – 185,666
• Animals recovered – 3,028,532
• Active cases – 59,006
• Animals vaccinated – 87,712,843

3. Population at risk in India
Cattle population:192.5 million Buffalo population:109.85 million
Indian LSDV isolates from
2019 outbreaks are very
closely related to Kenyan
field strains
The isolates from 2019
outbreaks in India and
Bangladesh are very
similar, indicating a
common exotic source of
LSDV introduction.

4. Spatial pattern of LSD
1st wave 2nd wave 3rd wave
Morbidity +++ ++++ ++++
Mortality + ++ +++
Disease form Dermatitis Dermatitis+ Respiratory Generalized
Year 2019 Year 2019‐2021 Year 2022
Disease Map for LSD representing the distribution of
attacks of LSD District level in India (N=29,26,039)

5. Clinical symptoms
Incubation period
• Experimental infection: 4 to 7 days
• Natural infection: up to five weeks
o Morbidity rate: 10 to 20 %; Mortality rate: 1 to 5 %
o Nasal discharge and lachrymation – initial signs
o Enlarged superficial lymph nodes (subscapular and prefemoral)
o High fever (up to one week)
o Sharp drop in milk production
o Brisket oedema
o Typical nodular lesions (0.5 – 5.0 cm in size)
o Corneal opacity, ulceration and blindness
o Pock lesions on gums, tongue, nostrils etc.,
o Skin nodules may persist for several months.
o Pneumonia, lameness and mastitis due to secondary bacterial infection

6. Skin Liver
Lungs Lymphnode
Heart
Tongue
Abomasum
Gums
Gallblader
▪ Typical gun shot wounds in respiratory system.
▪ Focal pneumonic lesions on lungs.
▪ Multiple focal necrotic foci on liver.
▪ Elevated ulcerative necrotic lesions in abomasum
and gallbladder, tongue, gums, palate etc.,

7. Some observations
• Lesions in internal organs including GI tract!!!
• Early signs – before the lumps are detected
• Severity of infection
– Very low mortality till 2022
– High rate of transmission, mortality and more severe lesions in 2022
• In some States, weak and under-nourished animals affected more
• In others, high yielders manifested serious disease
• No difference in male/female
• One state reported more deaths amongst calves

8. Steps taken by DAHD, Govt of India
o Set up of control room
• Regular technical support by Control Room
o Control and treatment guidelines and advisory issued regularly
o Visits of Central Teams of Experts
o Review meetings, physical & virtual, with the States
o Decentralization of testing/screening for rapid diagnosis, confirmation by ICAR-NIHSAD
o Use of Goatpox vaccine employing Uttarkashi strain permitted – response from States is encouraging
o Coordination with vaccine manufacturers to step up production capacity of vaccines and supplies to various states
• Empanelled goatpox vaccine manufacturers and fixed the price at Central level - to support States/UTs to procure vaccines quickly at
uniform price
o Constitution of District level monitoring and co-ordination committees headed by District Collector along with
District officials
o Allocation and release of funds for emergency response
• Funds sanctioned under ASCAD to affected States for undertaking trainings, awareness campaigns, vaccination and other
containment measures including vector control and biosafety, as per demand.
• Rs. 8,27 million have been released to States/UTs for control of LSD during FY 2022-23
• Revalidated available funds for this purpose

9. Laboratory Diagnosis
Identification of local testing laboratories with appropriate biocontainment facility to screen animals
through PCR in already declared affected areas
National Referral lab: ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal
Screening decentralized in areas confirmed by ICAR-NIHSAD (about 25):
• Central Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Izatnagar
• Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (SRDDL) Bangalore
• Western Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WRDDL), Pune
• North-East Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NERDDL), Guwahati
• Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar
• Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya Evam Gou-Anusandhan Sansthan
(DUVASU), Mathura
• Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) Ludhiana
• Other State laboratories and Veterinary Colleges

10. Advisories Issued
• Ring vaccination: In villages up to 5 kms
• Preventive vaccination: In high-risk areas like border area of affected district and state, common
grazing areas
– Advised to undertake mass vaccination
• Cattle vaccinated with available Goatpox vaccine; buffaloes skipped
• Affected animals not to be vaccinated
• The staff and vaccinators trained for vaccination drive
• Quarantine, isolation of infected and exposed animals including stray animals and grazing
• Proper disposal of carcasses and infected material
• Cleaning and disinfection of the premises and area
• Vector control and flies/insects' management – proven very effective
• Control introduction of infected animals
• Regulate movement of hides from affected areas (which is also potential means for transmission)

11. Vaccination Strategy
• Carpet Vaccination/Preventive Vaccination In Non-affected Area
• Control Vaccination In Affected Area/Epicenter (Control vaccination started first
from the border of the epicentre (outside to inside strategy).
✓ Eligible and healthy susceptible cattle at the age of 4 months and above vaccinated
through S/C route with available Goatpox vaccine-Uttarkashi Strain
✓ The dose of 103.0 TCID50 (same dose of vaccine for goat against goat pox) - used for carpet
/preventive vaccination in cattle.
✓ Calves from vaccinated animals or naturally infected mothers - vaccinated at the age of 4
to 6 months. Calves from unvaccinated mothers - vaccinated at any age
✓ Newly purchased animals - vaccinated 28 days before introduction to the herd
✓ Animals vaccinated 28 days before the transport or movement (wherever permitted)

12. Steps advised to States/UTs (AHD) (1/2)
o Strict implementation of LSD control and treatment guidelines
o Speed up the vaccination drive of healthy animals as per the guidelines and as per
the risk analysis of susceptible population and in high risk zones
o State to make sure the use of disposable accessories during treatment and
vaccination
o Use of fresh needles for each animal
o Animal identification to be ensured during vaccination with proper recording
o Coordination with local veterinary college for technical support/screening of
disease locally
o Strict implementation and operation of border check-posts to prevent entry of LSD

13. Steps advised to States/UTs (AHD) (2/2)
o Share the information with neighbouring states for advance alertness and preventive
measures
o Use of Methylene Blue in affected cattle through oral admiration and topical
application
o As per the feedback from states, the response is favourable
o Use of EVM/herbal preparations
o Proper communication with media/social media for update on actual situation to
avoid rumours and unnecessary panic in the public
o Awareness programmes

14. Bio-Security Measures
• Isolation of sick animal from the healthy animals
• Clinical surveillance against LSD in affected districts/around surrounding villages intensified
• Buffaloes to be kept separately till complete recovery of the affected animals, if reared together
– Ensue proper biosecurity measures for buffaloes to prevent any possible disease threat from
affected cattle
• Disinfection of premises at regular intervals
• Ecto-parasiticide also applied to healthy animals on infected and surrounding farms
• Persons dealing with infected animal to wear gloves and face mask
• Hygiene practices followed at animal farm and by people in area where animals are infected
• In case of mortality, carcass disposed off by deep burial method observing all hygienic measures
• Cattle markets located within 10 km radius of the epicentre of infection closed
• Trade of live cattle, participation in fairs, shows banned immediately upon confirmation of
disease

15. Indigenous LSD Vaccine
• ICAR has developed a live attenuated vaccine using
a field isolate
• Attenuation claimed to be achieved after 50
passages in African green monkey kidney (Vero)
cells
• Vaccine technology licensed to commercial
manufacturers in private and public sector
• Generating data to obtain manufacturing and
marketing licenses in India - Expected anytime now
• Cross protection studies on LSDV /GPXV being
undertaken
• Viruses isolated from field are being investigated
for mutations and their potential impact on disease
severity/success of vaccination (ICAR/CSIR)