CHITRAL: The lumpy skin disease (LSD) is increasing in different parts of Chitral due to unavailability of the required vaccine, creating apprehensions among farmers, farmers told ChitralToday.
The LSD virus, caused by the Capripoxvirus, is an emerging threat to livestock worldwide. It is genetically related to the goatpox and sheeppox virus family.
It is primarily transmitted in cattle and water buffalo by blood-feeding insects. Its clinical signs include the appearance of circular, firm nodes on the animal’s hide. They immediately start losing weight and have a reduced milk yield.
Since its first outbreak in 1928 in Africa, no direct transmission of LSD to humans has been reported. Still, it is listed as a notifiable disease due to its social and economic impact on the places that it spreads in, according to GAVI, a global vaccine alliance.
A few months back when LSD cases started appearing in Chitral, 8,500 doses of the vaccine were provided to the livestock department, which were administered where there were such cases. However, now people in Arandu, Gahiret, Ayun, Chitral and other areas are approaching the department but being told that there were no vaccines available.
A number of farmers while talking to ChitralToday said they depended on livestock for most of their income and the government should arrange vaccines to protect their animals from the fast-increasing disease.—Muhkam Uddin Ayuni