Animals > Animal Diseases > Lumpy Skin Disease  

Lumpy Skin Disease

What is lumpy skin disease?

Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease of cattle characterised by fever and eruptions of a large number of skin nodules of varying size. The virus is very closely related to the virus that causes sheep pox and goat pox. The disease affects only cattle; the jersey, guernsey, friesian and ayrshire breeds of cattle are particularly susceptible to the disease. Lumpy skin disease has the potential to spread rapidly and can have a devastating impact on cattle production and trade.

Do we have this disease in Canada?

No. Lumpy skin disease has never been recorded in Canada. It is prevalent throughout most of Africa as well as Egypt and Kuwait. An outbreak in Israel in 1989 was successfully brought under control.

Is there a human health risk associated with lumpy skin disease?

There is no evidence that the lumpy skin disease virus can infect humans.

How is this disease transmitted and spread?

Lumpy skin disease is an insect-borne disease, transmitted by biting insects such as mosquitoes, horse flies and deer flies, biting midges, and tse-tse flies. Transmission does not usually occur by direct contact between animals. The disease is often found near river basins and areas conducive to insect multiplication. The most likely way for lumpy skin disease to enter a new area is by introduction of infected cattle. Biting insects that have fed on infected cattle also spread the disease and can travel substantial distances. Contaminated cattle hides are another source of the disease.

What are the clinical signs?

Within one to two days after the onset of a fever, nodules or lumps develop on the skin. The nodules can develop anywhere on the body, but are especially common around the head, neck, genitals, limbs, and tail. The lumps vary in number from a few to hundreds, and are circular, raised, firm and painful. As the disease progresses, deep scabs form on the nodules and secondary bacterial infections often develop in the damaged skin. Other signs of this disease include swelling of the brisket and legs, lameness, and enlargement of the lymph nodes. In severe cases, the appearance of skin nodules is accompanied by salivation, discharge from the nose and eyes, reluctance to move, loss of appetite, depression, and weight loss. Although few adult cattle die from the disease, many become debilitated and can remain in extremely poor body condition for up to six months. The lumps take several months to heal and permanent damage to the hide is inevitable.

How is lumpy skin disease diagnosed?

A tentative diagnosis of lumpy skin disease can be made based on the clinical signs; the nodules have a very characteristic appearance. Samples sent to a laboratory are used to confirm the diagnosis by isolating and identifying the virus. Lumpy skin disease must not be confused with pseudo-lumpy skin disease, which is a milder disease caused by a different type of virus.

Are there any treatments for this disease?

There is no treatment for this viral infection. Animals infected with lumpy skin disease virus generally recover; the mortality rate is very low. Complete recovery may take several months. In areas where the disease is common (i.e. South Africa, Egypt), vaccination is used to prevent its occurrence.

What is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) role in preventing this disease from entering Canada?

Lumpy skin disease is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act. This means that all suspected cases must be reported to the CFIA. All reported suspect cases are immediately investigated by inspectors from the Agency. The CFIA imposes strict regulations on the import of animals and animal products from countries where this disease is known to occur. These regulations are enforced through CFIA port-of-entry inspections.

Canada’s emergency response strategy in the event of an outbreak of a foreign animal disease is to eradicate the disease and re-establish the country’s disease-free status as quickly as possible. The CFIA would adopt a "stamping out" policy to eradicate CSF, which would involve:

• the humane destruction of all infected and exposed animals;
• surveillance and tracing of potentially infected or exposed animals;
• strict quarantine and animal movement controls;
• strict decontamination of infected premises; and
• zoning to define infected and disease-free areas.
• instituting insect control measures during biting fly season in the infected zone.

How to get more information?

Contact your Canadian Food Inspection Agency Area Office:

You can find your local Canadian Food Inspection Agency District Office on the CFIA Web site or by consulting the blue pages of your local phone directory.

September 2003
P0316E-03