Review on the Economic Impacts of Lumpy Skin Disease of Cattle and its Prevention and Control Strategies in Ethiopia

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an infectious disease of cattle, caused by a Lumpy Skin Disease Virus. It is an economically important viral disease of cattle affecting all ages and breeds that can be prevented by vaccination in endemic regions including Ethiopia. LSD is an OIE listed disease because of considerable financial losses and in Ethiopia due to the endemic nature of LSD; the country is facing serious difficulties in exporting live cattle and their products. In addition, this situation contributes a negative impact on the national economic growth through the loss of meat and milk production and poor quality of skin and hides. Serious economic losses can follow outbreaks that have a high morbidity and high mortality rates of 40 percent or more have been encountered. There is no specific antiviral treatment available for LSD-infected cattle. The disease is now the problem of almost all the regions and agro ecological zones of Ethiopia. Major outbreaks of LSD have been occurred in different regions of Ethiopia. Two vaccines, however, Neethling and Kenya sheep and goat pox virus, have been used widely in Africa with success. Preventing movement the diseased animals along with vector control, regular annual vaccinations and awareness creation for cattle owners play great role in disease prevention and control. The disease outbreak was observed in the cattle regardless of previous vaccination with Kenyan sheep- and goat pox vaccine the occurrence of LSD outbreak scale, despite the use of a vaccination regime, is suggestive of vaccine failure. Apparent emerging vaccine failure is a serious problem for efficient control of LSD, as the disease has been manifested by high morbidity and mortality rates, regardless of vaccination status. Consequently continuous surveillance on the status of the disease and genetic information on circulating field viruses is mandatory in order to take effective measures for the control of the disease in the country.