Explained: What Is Lumpy Skin Disease Which Killed Over 3,000 Cattle In Rajasthan, Gujarat
Explained: What Is Lumpy Skin Disease Which Killed Over 3,000 Cattle In Rajasthan, Gujarat
Over 3,000 cattle have died in Rajasthan and Gujarat due to the Lumpy Skin Disease which spreads through bloodsucking insects, certain species of flies and through contaminated food and water.
The Swami Vivekananda Vidyapeeth school Director alleged that due to the lack of cleanliness in the nearby cowshed, a foul smell was enveloping the school.
New Delhi: More than 3,000 cattle have died in Rajasthan and Gujarat due to the Lumpy Skin Disease. In Rajasthan, the viral infection was confirmed across nine districts where around 2,500 cattle deaths have been reported in total from Barmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Pali, Ganganagar, Nagaur, Siorhi and Jaisalmer. Last month, Gujarat’s Agriculture Minister said Lumpy Skin Disease claimed lives of 977 cattle in the state. The virus spread in 14 districts, including all districts of Saurashtra region, Kutch and now Banaskantha. Both Rajasthan and Gujarat have sounded high alert in connection to the Lumpy Skin Disease.
What is Lumpy Skin Disease
Lumpy Skin Disease, also called LSD, is caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a virus from the family Poxviridae, genus Capripoxvirus. Sheeppox virus and goatpox virus are the two other virus species in this genus, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. There is no vaccination available for the disease which is being treated based on symptoms.
LSDV is highly host-specific and causes disease only in cattle (Bos indicus and B. taurus) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). A study in Ethiopia showed evidence of differential breed susceptibility to LSD, with Holstein Friesian or crossbred cattle exhibiting higher morbidity and mortality due to LSD when compared with local zebu cattle. LSDV is not zoonotic, so humans cannot get affected by the disease.
Lumpy Skin Disease: Symptoms and how it spreads
The Lumpy Skin Disease spreads through bloodsucking insects, certain species of flies and through contaminated food and water.
It causes acute fever, discharge from the eyes and nose, salivation, soft blister-like nodules all over the body, marked reduction in milk yield and difficulty in eating.
The mortality rate for the contagion is 1.5 per cent.
Lump Skin Disease in Rajasthan, Gujarat – Top points
Deaths of over 2,500 cattle heads due to lumpy skin disease in nine districts of Rajasthan has triggered panic across the desert state.
According to a senior official in the animal husbandry department, “While over 2,500 cattle heads have died due to the viral disease, around 50,000 more have been infected. The viral infection has already spread to nine districts, mostly adjoining Gujarat which has become the epicentre of the disease.”
A team of scientists and veterinary doctors from the Centre visited Rajasthan’s Jodhpur and Nagaur this week to take stock of the situation amid rise in cattle deaths due to the Lump Skin Disease.
Senior officials confirmed that the team will also visit Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Jalore, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Pali and Sirohi.
An alert has been issued in Dungarpur, Banswara, Udaipur, Rajsamand and the districts adjoining the Gujarat border.
“The deaths of thousands of cattle heads in the state have left those engaged in animal husbandry worried. The dairy farmers in western and northern parts of the state are facing threat to their livelihood as scores of cattle heads are dying due to the infectious skin disease,” Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia said.
Gujarat have intensified efforts to battle the infection spread as it stressed on checking of vehicles entering from Rajasthan and neighbouring states. “The virus has spread in 14 districts, including all districts of Saurashtra region, Kutch and now Banaskantha. Checking of vehicles entering from Rajasthan and neighbouring states have been intensified to prevent infected cattle from entering the state. People living in border villages have been asked to inform the department if they see a cattle movement across the border,” Agriculture Department’s Deputy Director (Animal Husbandry) Dr HN Modh told IANS.
On July 19, Kutch District Development Officer Bhavya Verma had tweeted about the virus spreading in his district. Some 26,917 cattle were infected in the district, 81,633 vaccinated, and 1,14,079 vaccine doses used.
The Virus spread is high in the Kutch district as it houses the highest domestic cattle population. According to the 20th livestock census, Kutch has 21 lakh animals, including 10.41 lakh bovines.
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