State’s AH&VS Dept issues advisory
Kohima, June 20 (MExN): The occurrence of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) among bovine has been detected positive from the nasal swabs & skin tissue samples submitted by Nagaland, the Directorate of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS) informed today.
The samples were tested at AADDMC, College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati. On June 17, The Morung Express has reported that were some suspected cases of LSD in Nagaland and awaiting lab confirmation.
Informing of the confirmation of cases in an advisory to the public, dairy farmers & cattle rearers, the AH&VS stated that the disease is caused by the Capripox virus also known as the “Neethling” virus causing devastating economic losses via increased mortality, reduced productivity, control cost, loss in trade, decreased market value & food security.
The disease affects cattle and buffaloes and is a threat to wildlife populations like Deer, Bison, and Mithun by causing high fever, reduced milk yield, skin nodules, loss of appetite, nasal and eye discharges, and formation of nodules on the body transmitted by flies, ticks, and mosquitoes, it said.
Accordingly, the AH&VS informed that an advisory has been issued to all concerned to follow strict bio-security measures so as to prevent further ingress and spread of the disease across the State.
Further, all livestock farmers (Dairy, Cattle/Buffalo Ranging, Mithun, etc) have been requested to be vigilant on the occurrence of the disease on the animals and report the matter to the nearest Veterinary Centre.
The AH&VS further directed all veterinary doctors posted in the check post, dairy farms, veterinary hospitals & dispensaries to be on guard and meticulously examine all suspected cases.
Samples from suspected cases should be sent to ELISA Laboratory, Kohima for further testing.
Positive cases should be treated promptly by following the indicative management and treatment protocols of LSD issued by the Government of India, it added.
Meanwhile, despite recent viral images on social media implying transmission of LSD to human, experts from Nagaland as well as outside, have ruled out the link and no such cases have been discovered to date. They concurred that the LSD is not zoonotic in nature.
However, such misinformation seems to ‘reoccur’ periodically when cases of LSD are detected.
