Lumpy Skin Disease: Global and Turkish Perspectives

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an economically important infection since the presence of the disease affects cattle health and export of cattle products. It is caused by capripoxvirus and shows characteristic skin lesions in infected cattle. The disease was first reported in Zambia, in 1929. It then spread to Africa, Middle East and recently to European countries like Greece and Bulgaria. The first Turkish outbreak of LSD was reported in 2013 in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. Until now, many cattle are affected and the disease spread to farms located in different parts of Turkey. After the first outbreak, rapid diagnostic methods have been used in order to identify disease outbreaks. Control and eradication programs have been applied by The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of Republic of Turkey including contingency plan, culling and compulsory vaccination