Comparative Clinico-Haematological Alterations of Lumpy Skin Disease Affected Cattle at Different Ages and Periods of Disease in Bangladesh

Abstract

Objectives: Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a transboundary viral pox disease that causes huge economic losses. The disease is in an epidemic situation, and the affected cattle show massive lesions and complexity, which is tough to treat; thus, a study was conducted to investigate the clinico-haematological alterations of LSD-affected cattle for adopting better pharmacotherapeutic management.

Material and methods: A total of 36 LSD affected, and 8 healthy/control cattle were examined and used for blood profiling. The control and affected cattle were categorized into four age groups consisting of nine cattle (Group A = under 1 year; Group B = 1 to 2 years; Group C = 2 to 3 years; and Group D = from 4 years up to 10 years) in each group and three disease periods of post infection (prodromal period, period of illness and period of decline) consist of each of 12 LSD affected cattle.

Results: Clinical examination of affected cattle showed 100% cattle (skin nodule of various sizes), 55.55% (lymph node enlargement), 75% (high fever), 13.88% (brisket oedema), 19.44% (limb oedema), 8.33% (ventral abdomen oedema), 5.55% (facial oedema), 19.44% (lameness), 22.22% (respiratory distress), 2.77% (corneal opacity) and 27.78% (salivation and nasal discharge) as clinical signs. Almost all affected cattle showed multiple lesion at the same time, particularly in the last two disease periods. Comparatively, the nodular lesion is much more higher in the limb (33.1%), followed by the head and neck region (23.24%), and then other parts of the body. Haematological analysis reveals a significant decrease in red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC), TLC and thrombocytes. During the illness and decline periods, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) increased, which is an indication of macrocytic hypochromic anaemia, lymphocytopenia and thrombocytopenia, and indicative of fluid therapy such as blood transfusion. The age group under 1 year is more vulnerable to LSD fatality, as lower levels of TLC, lymphocyte, and monocyte were found, indicating severe immunosuppression.

Conclusion: It is concluded that disease stage-wise and age-wise clinico-haematological studies have provided baseline data of LSD pathogenesis, which is essential to formulate an effective pharmacotherapeutic strategy.

Keywords: age category; disease stage; haematology; investigation; lumpy skin disease (LSD).

FIGURE 1

Frequency of different clinical signs among LSD‐affected cattle at different periods of disease (Total LSD‐affected cattle, N = 36; Number of LSD‐affected cattle at Prodromal period, n = 12, at Period of illness, n = 12 and at Period of decline, n = 12).

FIGURE 2

Distribution of the average number of localized skin nodules on different regions and parts of the body of LSD‐affected cattle at period of illness of disease.