Lumpy skin disease is caused due to a virus that affects only cattle and is reported to be extremely contagious. As per the reports, nearly 57,000 cattle have died across the country and around 15.21 lakh cattle have been affected by the outbreak so far.
At least seven states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi have reported cases of lumpy skin disease till now.
The state governments have advised farmers and cattle owners or caretakers to separate the affected cattle from the healthier ones to prevent the spread of the disease. The states of Gujarat and Rajasthan have even set up control rooms in different districts as a preventive initiative to stop the spread of the disease.
Let's know the causes, risk factors, and preventive measures for lumpy skin disease.
Lumpy Skin Disease: Causes
Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease caused by a virus called 'capripox' that affects cattle and buffalo only and is transmitted among the mentioned animals by blood-feeding insects like certain species of flies, mosquitoes, or ticks.
The disease results in fever, and nodules on the skin which can lead to death in a worst-case scenario if the animals have not been exposed to the virus before.
Lumpy Skin Disease: Treatment and Risks
There is no treatment for lumpy skin disease and the risk of infection among the cattle and buffaloes is high since there is no way to stop the infected vectors from spreading the infection.
The risk of spread of infection increases once the infection has reached a certain area. Moreover, the risk of infection is high due to lack of vaccination.
Lumpy Skin Disease: Prevention
The lumpy skin disease can be prevented in four ways:
Vaccinations
Quarantine
Slaughter campaigns
Other management strategies
The good news is that around 97 lakh vaccines have already been given due to which nearly 80,000 cattle recovered from the viral disease.
Lumpy Skin Disease: Spread in Humans
The good news is that the disease cannot spread among humans or cannot be transferred from the infected animals to humans. Moreover, reports show that the disease does not affect the products of animals as well so you can consume dairy products without any worry.
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