Interactive meeting on Lump Skin Disease (LSD) preparedness in Mithun

21st June 2023

An Online Discussion and Interactive Meeting on "Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Preparedness in Mithun" was organized by ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Nagaland today.

The Chief Guest, Dr. Amrish Kumar Tyagi, Assistant Director General,  (Animal Nutrition and Physiology), spoke on the importance of preventing and controlling animal diseases. He also appreciated the institute's efforts in providing a platform to discuss the ongoing outbreak of LSD in the country.

The status of Lumpy Skin Disease in bovines, mitigation strategies in India, and the economic importance of the disease were briefed by Dr. Baldev Raj Gulati, Director, ICAR-NIVEDI, Bangalore. The speaker highlighted the disease's demography and its economic impact.

Dr. T.K. Bhattachariya, Director, ICAR-NRC on Equines, Hisar, Haryana, delivered a presentation on the development of a homologous vaccine for LSD, which has proven to be highly effective in controlling and preventing the disease. The vaccine is expected to be commercially available very soon.

Earlier, Dr. Girish Patil, Director, ICAR-NRCM, delivered welcome address.

Dr. Niranjan Mishra, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal, presented various diagnostic techniques for LSD, emphasizing the importance of genotypic characterization to understand disease progression and its implications. He also showcased different types and variants of LSDV strains circulating in the current outbreak.

The participants engaged in an in-depth discussion about the status of LSD in Mithun-rearing states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. The current status of LSD in Mithun is unknown, and an action plan will be drafted as part of preparedness, added Director NRCM. Additionally, the respective state veterinary departments discussed the problems and challenges faced in their respective states. Detailed discussions were held on the need for strategies and operating procedures to control and prevent the introduction and emergence of transboundary animal diseases from neighboring countries.

The program was attended by over 80 participants, including scientists from different ICAR institutes, the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Veterinary University, experts from across the country, faculty members from the veterinary college of Jalukie, Nagaland, and Directors and veterinarians from different Mithun-rearing states.

(Source: ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Nagaland)