The Sindh government and Fisheries department have advised the owners of cattle to separate their sick animals from healthy ones and use frequently anti-mosquito sprays to save prevent animals from Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), which was being reported recently in the press, electronic and social media.
The disease is being reported in cattle especially in cows, which is identified by veterinary doctors as Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV). The disease is being reported in farms at Sanghar, Jamshoro, Thatta, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Khairpur and Karachi, according to a communique.
There are reports of loss of weight and milk production in animals due to the disease.The origin of the disease is Africa, which has spread to Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe. In recent years there were reports of outbreak of this disease in Iran, India and some other regional countries.This is the new animal disease in Pakistan and there is no treatment, medicine or vaccine available for it so far.It is transmitted by insects feeding on blood such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks. It carries fever, nodules on the skin and can lead to death, though mortality rate has been found less than 5 percent.
The cattle owners are advised to separate sick animals from healthy ones, keep sheds clean, prevent animals from mosquitoes and biting insects, use mosquito nets, frequently spray farms, animals and premises with anti-insect sprays. In case of disease, report to local authorities and Livestock department.
However, humans are not at risk of developing lumpy skin disease.It is an infections disease in animals.
