Clinico-epidemiological investigation of Lumpy skin disease in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is known as an economically significant viral disease of cattle, causing nodular eruptions in the skin, including the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. This study was based on the current scenario of LSD for determining the alterations in haematological and serum biochemical values in Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) infected cattle, as well as their clinical features, prevalence, and associated risk factors. Clinico-epidemiological data of total 231 cattle (where 64 cases were LSDV infected) were collected from Upazila Veterinary Hospital, Maheshkhali, Cox's Bazar. Blood samples were randomly collected from lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) infected cattle and examine for haematological and biochemical parameters. The overall clinical prevalence of LSD in the study population was 26.84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21-0.33). Calves aged <1 year (OR = 10.42; P = 0.0069), cross breeds (in Sahiwal cross, OR = 3.5; P = 0.002; Holstein Friesian cross, OR = 2.8; P = 0.01), and male (OR = 3.28; P = 0.0001) animals were significantly at higher risk than adults, indigenous breed, and female individuals, respectively. Fever, skin nodules, swollen lymph nodes, edema causing limb swelling, nasal discharge, lacrimation, and respiratory distress in severe cases were the most prevalent clinical signs observed in LSD-infected cattle. Haematological examination revealed LSD-infected patients were anemic, and red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB) and packed cell volume (PCV) parameters were below their corresponding reference ranges in infected cattle. Biochemical analyses showed that total protein (TP), creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were decreased. These findings may be helpful for diagnosing LSDV infection, developing effective treatment strategies, preventing further relapses or outbreaks of this disease, and also serving as a baseline for LSD research in respective fields.