Synopsis
Namibia's Directorate of Veterinary Services has alerted farmers about the Lumpy Skin Disease outbreak, with 73 confirmed cases reported in the Otjombinde Constituency of the Omaheke Region. Farmers are urged to vaccinate their cattle and report suspected cases.Key Takeaways
- 73 confirmed cases of LSD in Namibia.
- Spread by blood-feeding insects.
- Farmers advised to vaccinate cattle.
- Control measures include quarantine and treatment.
- Namibia exports beef to multiple countries.
Windhoek, Jan 17 (NationPress) The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) in Namibia has issued a caution to farmers following the emergence of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in various regions.
As of now, there are 73 confirmed instances of this debilitating viral infection impacting cattle in the Otjombinde Constituency, located within the Epukiro Veterinary District of the Omaheke Region in eastern Namibia, according to Johannes Shoopala, acting chief veterinary officer at the DVS.
"LSD is classified as a state-controlled disease, and any occurrence must be reported to the nearest state veterinarian," he stated.
Shoopala explained that LSD is spread by blood-feeding insects like flies, mosquitoes, and ticks.
Based on the epidemiological conditions of the area, local state veterinarians have the legal authority to implement control measures to protect the livestock industry. These measures may include quarantining the affected region, vaccinating all in-contact animals with the prescribed vaccine, and treating any animals displaying symptoms of LSD, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
"The directorate is strongly urging farmers nationwide to vaccinate their cattle against LSD, manage biting insects, and report any suspected LSD cases to their nearest state veterinary services office as mandated by law," Shoopala remarked.
Namibia is a supplier of beef to several markets including the European Union, Norway, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Lumpy skin disease is a highly impactful viral condition in cattle, caused by the Lumpy Skin Disease Virus, which falls under the genus Capripoxvirus within the Poxviridae family. To isolate the LSD virus, nodular skin samples were collected from cattle showing clinical signs in Ethiopia's Amuru and Wara Jarso districts.
The isolation process utilized primary lamb testis and kidney cells. The isolated LSDV was then introduced into a healthy calf, following strict biosecurity measures, to induce skin lesions and monitor the disease's progression through postmortem evaluations.
On the fourth day post-inoculation, the calf showed typical skin nodules associated with LSD, along with a raised rectal temperature, which lasted until the twelfth day when symptoms began to diminish. Viral shedding was identified in nasal, oral, and conjunctival swabs taken between the sixth and fourteenth days post-infection through real-time PCR techniques. Moreover, post-mortem tissue samples tested positive for the LSD virus using both real-time PCR and virus isolation methods.
