ICAR develops vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle

Context

Two institutes of Agri research body ICAR have developed an indigenous vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle which has spread across many States in the last few months.

About the Vaccine

• ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE), Hisar (Haryana), in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh has developed a homologous live-attenuated LSD vaccine "Lumpi-ProVacInd".
• The two institutes can produce 2.5 lakh dosages per month.
• The cost per dose is ?1-2.
• Scientists have been making efforts to develop this vaccine since the LSD disease was first reported in Odisha in 2019. 
• It is a very "encouraging" development as the spread of LSD has become a serious issue.
• In the initial years, it was mainly restricted to the eastern part of our country.
• Later on, it rapidly spread to almost all the states in the country. 
• Sheepox virus (SPV) and goat pox virus (GPV) -based vaccine (heterologous vaccine) is usually authorized to induce cross-protection against LSD in cattle, where homologous LSD vaccine is not available.
• The Centre has also authorised the use of goatpox vaccine to control LSD in cattle. However, heterologous vaccines provide partial protection and are not as efficacious as homologous vaccines.
• The safety of the vaccine has also been ascertained in the field in cattle and buffaloes of all age groups including lactating and pregnant ones.

About Lumpy Skin Disease 

• It is caused by a virus called the Capripoxvirus and is “an emerging threat to livestock worldwide”. 
• It is genetically related to the goatpox and sheeppox virus family.
• It infects cattle and water buffalo mainly through vectors such as blood-feeding insects. 

Symptoms

• The appearance of circular, firm nodes on the animal’s hide or skin that look similar to lumps.
• Excessive nasal and salivary secretion.

Spread

• The disease is not zoonotic, meaning it does not spread from animals to humans, and humans cannot get infected with it.
• Historically, LSD has remained confined to Africa, where it was first discovered in 1929, and parts of West Asia.
• It was first reported in Asia and the Pacific region in 2019 in north-west China, Bangladesh and India.