Lumpy skin disease in Europe: Situation report as of 29 November 2016

International Animal Health Epidemic Intelligence (VSI) team – ESA Platform – France

 Sources: ADNS/FAO Empres-i
 
This is a translation of a published report. The French version of this report is available here.

Since the last situation update on 29 September 2016, new outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) have been declared in Greece (n=5), Albania (n=133) and Montenegro (n=2) (Table 1, Figure 1). The disease continues its spread North-East of Turkey with the first two outbreaks reported in Georgia beginning of November 2016. The number of outbreak declarations continued to decrease in the past weeks (Figure 2), which could indicate the end of the vector season and the efficiency of the vaccination campaigns carried out in all affected countries on all or part of their territory, but the two effects cannot be distinguished. However, the data from September to November 2016 might be incomplete due to delays between outbreak detection and declaration. The risk of further spread of LSD in the Balkans remains high.

Several countries have not yet declared LSD outbreaks but have started preparing for the arrival of the virus by implementing awareness campaigns or ordering provisional vaccine doses. According to EFSA, the vaccination of cattle is the most efficient way to control the spread of LSD, and if vaccination is meticulously carried out, partial stamping out of affected animals would be as efficient to eradicate the disease as total stamping-out, which is currently required by European legislation (EFSA 2016). Croatia is, for now, the only country to have started a preventative vaccination. Authorities started a vaccination campaign on 8th August 2016 in the South and Eastern provinces which are most at risk, and will progressively extend the campaign to the entire country. Romania is on alert and has organized awareness campaigns for veterinary services and farmers, simulation exercises and has decided to forbid cattle markets (source: Animal health regulatory committee – report from 13-14 September 2016). Bosnia-Herzegovina has ordered 100,000 vaccines doses financed by the European Union (EU), but will only start vaccinating once the first case of LSD is confirmed on its territory. Hungary is finalizing a vaccination plan and Slovenia is considering a vaccination strategy. The table below presents the situation by country starting with countries that have most recently declared their first LSD outbreak.
 
Table 1: Number of outbreaks of Lumpy skin disease (LSD) – situation as of 29 Nov 2016 (sources: ADNS, OIE, Empres-i, *Animal Health Regulatory Committee – report from 18th August 2016)

Figure 1: Outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) declared from May 2015 to November 2016 (as of 29 November 2016) (sources: ADNS/Empres-i)

Figure 2: Time series of outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) declared in the Balkans from May 2015 to November 2016 (as of 29 November 2016) (sources: ADNS/Empres-i)

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