Contagious animal disease detected in France for first time
This strictly animal disease only affects cattle, zebus, and buffalo. Other animal species, such as sheep and goats, are not affected.
LSD is not transmissible to humans, either through contact with infected cattle, through food, or through insect bites.
There is also no risk to human health from the consumption of products derived from these animals, according to the French Ministry of Agriculture.
Risk in France
However, this animal disease is highly detrimental to the health of cattle and leads to significant production losses.
It is transmitted between animals through the bite of insects such as stomoxys or horseflies (flies).
It is particularly present in North Africa and, since June 2022, in Italy, where authorities have confirmed this disease, also for the first time, in Sardinia and then in Lombardy.
The affected cattle farm in France is located in Savoie. The cattle showed suggestive clinical signs (fever and skin nodules).
On June 29, the national reference laboratory confirmed the infection with the LSD virus.
As a result and in accordance with European law which requires the eradication of this disease, by prefectural decree declaring the infection, the outbreak will be depopulated in order to prevent this disease from taking hold and spreading.
A regulated zone with a radius of 50km around this outbreak establishes preventive measures by strengthening veterinary surveillance, as well as restrictions in particular on the movement of cattle aimed at preventing the disease from spreading to other farms.
The prefectures of the departments of Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Ain, and Isere are affected by the 50km restriction perimeter around the outbreak.
Investigations will be conducted to identify the source of the infection, the ministry added.
Lumpy skin disease
Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease characterised by nodules on the skin of cattle and water buffalo.
The disease can cause reduced milk yield, severe emaciation, complications secondary to the skin lesions, permanent damage to hides, and long-term illness.
The main mode of transmission of the lumpy skin disease virus is through biting insects feeding on skin lesions of infected animals and subsequently spreading the virus to immunologically naive animals.
Many types of insects can transmit the virus to animals, such as mosquitoes, biting flies and ticks. Insects that spread infection between animals are most active between April and November in Ireland and are commonly found on farms.
The virus may also be spread through use of contaminated needles or farm equipment. Spread through direct contact with an infected animal is considered unlikely.
Infected bulls can excrete the virus in semen, however transmission of the virus via infected semen has not been demonstrated.
Ireland has never reported lumpy skin disease. An outbreak here could have a severe negative impact on animal welfare and the livestock sector, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Outbreaks can result in substantial economic losses and movement or trade bans. The disease does not affect humans.
Lumpy skin disease is a notifiable disease, which means that any suspected case must be reported to the DAFM without delay.
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