LUMPY SKIN DISEASE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Indian Immunological Institute, a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), is working on new vaccines to treat lumpy skin disease and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus along with a combination of vaccines for protection against rabies

Lumpy Skin Disease

• About: It is a viral disease that affects cattle. It is genetically related to the goatpox and sheeppox virus family.
• Transmitted by: Blood-feeding insects, such as certain species. of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks.
• Causes: Fever, nodules on the skin and can also lead to death, especially in animals that that have not previously been exposed to the virus.
• Symptoms: The incubation period for lumpy skin disease is between  14 day post-infection.
• After an initial period of high fever (41°C) and swollen lymph glands, the animal may develop large, firm nodules that are up to 5 cm in diameter in the skin.
• These can be found all over the body, but particularly on the: head.
• Guidelines for prevention of Lumpy Skin Disease:
• Preventive Measures: Control of animal movement, Restriction with affected animals and persons dealing with such animals, Vaccination.

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

• About: It is a statutory body set up by an Act of the Parliament of India.
• Founded: In 1965
• Nodal Ministry:  Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying