Endalu Mulatu and Abdi Feyisa
Lumpy skin disease, which is caused by lumpy skin disease virus, is among the major health problems affecting the livestock industry of most African countries. Skin lesions are the major sources of infection; although the virus is evacuated via different body secretions and excretions including semen. Thus, susceptible hosts contract the virus principally by mechanical means from hematophagous arthropods, including biting flies, mosquitoes and ticks. Transstadial and transovarial persistence in varies species of ticks is also possible. Following infection, characteristic lumpy skin disease lesions may explode from 7 to 14 days post infection under experimental conditions whereas in natural cases it takes 2 to 5 weeks. Lumpy skin disease is manifested by distinguishing firm, circumscribed, few (mild forms) to multiple (severe forms) skin nodules, which sometimes involve mucous membranes of respiratory system, urogenital system and other internal organs. Subsequently, milk production lessen, abortion, temporary or permanent sterility, damage to hide and deaths will occur which further contribute to a momentous economic loss in cattle producing countries. Therefore, large-scale vaccination combined with other appropriate control measures are the most effective way of limiting the spread and economic impact due to lumpy skin disease. This review is designed with the aim of providing, latest information on the biology of lumpy skin disease virus, mechanism of spread, clinical and pathological features of lumpy skin disease.
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